Danganronpa Yakuza Arc: Part 2
by HumbleChad
Summary: Hajime and Natsumi's story continues. Hajime finds himself pulled deeper into the world of the Yakuza and realizes he is in way over his head. In this world of backstabbing and family politics, there are dangers around every corner. Will Hajime be able to protect Natsumi, or even himself?
1. Chapter 1

**Prologue**

Peko slowly inhaled through her nostrils and exhaled out of her mouth, creating a brief puff of condensation in the air. Cold, grimy rain water drizzled down her forehead and face. A slow trickle of red blood flowed down her right cheek, embracing it in a sticky, fleeting warmth. The cut on her face was minor and she couldn't even feel it. Her eyes were on her opponent, a girl with short dark hair and lightly dotted freckles. She wore a black tactical vest over her school uniform, a button up white shirt paired with a black skirt. She stood confident and poised, not even winded. The rain continued to pelt down on them. The ambience of raindrops and the muffled riots in the distance was eerily serene.

The silence was shattered as Mukuro advanced on Peko once again, drawing her kukri blade and locking it with Peko's Katana. The cold steel ground together as Mukuro leaned in close to Peko.

 _"You're still holding back aren't you? Don't get mad at me if you die,"_ Mukuro said in a casual tone.

Peko simply glared daggers at her and hardened her stance, before pushing Mukuro back. The wet pavement was slippery, so Mukuro slowly slid backwards, her shoes grinding. This didn't phase the "ultimate soldier." She simply smirked and leapt backwards, distancing herself from Peko.

( _She is toying with me)_ Peko thought to herself. She noticed her hand quivering with adrenaline as she gripped her sword tightly. This was unlike any opponent she had ever faced. Mukuro was always a step ahead of her. This girl was no amateur. She lived up to her title.

" _I assure you, Miss Ikusaba, I am just getting warmed up. I hope you haven't been holding back for my sake,_ " Peko spoke sternly. Mukuro casually flipped her curved blade in the air a few times. She smiled warmly at Peko with a hint of madness in her gaze.

" _I wouldn't dream of it. I'm actually having a good time and I'm just trying to make the most of it. I just hope my sister doesn't get mad at me indulging myself._ " Mukuro responded, blushing at the thought of Junko castigating her for this later.

" _peaking of your sister, I have a question for you. What is it that you two are planning exactly?_ " Peko inquired. Mukuro simply shrugged off the question.

" _You wanna interrogate me? Okay then. Let's play a game. Whoever wins this fight will get to torture the loser,_ " Mukuro said in an almost seductive voice as she brought her blade to her tongue, licking off Peko's blood. She then lunged at Peko.

Peko shifted her style. She kept her sword tilted inward close to her body and deflected Mukuro's strike. She moved in close to Mukuro making up-close sawing motions with her sword. As Mukuro shifted to Peko's right, Peko extended her blade outward, forcing Mukuro to make a last minute effort to dodge it by contorting and arching her back. She then somersaulted backwards before Peko could make another attack.

" _Wow. You almost got me there, Pekoyama. I guess I should be more careful around a close combat specialist._ " She remarked in a surprisingly casual, polite, and sportsman-like tone, as if she was complimenting her opponent in tennis. It was as if this fight had not phased her one iota. Even Peko, who had killed in the past and had been trained for that purpose all her life was shaken by this encounter, as any human would be. What **was** this girl?

" _I presume that you and Enoshima are behind the student council murders and the current riots. But I still don't understand. What is your goal?_ " Peko interrogated. Mukuro looked perplexed by the question.

 _"Our goal? That's all you want to know? It's only despair. That's it._ " Mukuro responded callously. Peko looked at her in abject confusion.

 _"Wh-what? What are you talking about? What does that even mean?"_ The swordswoman asked in confusion.

 _"Despair is despair. I don't really-_ " Mukuro said before she was interrupted by her phone going off. A cheery tune played, awkwardly as the two girls stood in the rain. " _Uh, give me one second. I need to take this_." Mukuro said as she reached down to pull her cell phone out of her pocket. Peko stood there, still holding her sword, contemplating whether to take this as an opportunity to attack or not, but her better judgement told her to wait it out.

" _Hello?"_ There was a brief moment of silence from Mukuro before continuing, _"Oh it's you. What's going on?... What? What do you mean?_ " Mukuro asked in shock. She turned her back from Peko as she listened to the phone. " _N-no! That's not possible. That can't be! You're lying! Put her on the phone! Right now!_ " She yelled before she stood there silently and dropped to her knees. Peko was even more perplexed. It was as if she was watching all the energy being sucked from the dark haired girl. " _This…. This wasn't supposed to happen…. this…..._ " She whimpered as tears streamed down her cheeks, blending in with the raindrops that continuously fell on her face. " _Fuck!... Fuck!... Fuck! Fuuuuuck!"_ she screamed, in a frantic tantrum has she pounded the pavement.

There was a long, uncomfortable pause of silence. Peko stood there watching her.

 _"I understand….. You're right….. Ok…..._." Mukuro said as she stood up. She hung up the phone and placed it in her pocket. She turned to face Peko, holding her knife in her hand. Her eyes were inflamed and tears continued to fall down her cheeks. However, her visage was like nothing that Peko had seen. She had the widest smile. It was a maniacal, gleeful smile. Her eyes were euphoric and her cheeks were flushed red. She looked like she was on ecstasy, even though moments ago she was bawling her eyes out.

Peko took a step back as Mukuro began slowly hobbling towards her, dopamine surging through her brain.

" _W-what was that call about?_ " Peko asked uncomfortably as Mukuro loomed closer and closer to her.

" _Oh, nothing much. My sister gave me a great gift. That's why I'm smiling. I would like to share it with you_ " She said, raising her knife. Peko raised her sword and pointed it directly at her.

" _Stay back! Don't try it!_ " She said, as Mukuro continued to menacingly make her way closer to the silver haired girl. Mukuro's vision was blurred slightly from the tears, but she could still see her target. She licked her lips and jolted at Peko. Peko raised her sword in defense and skillfully parried Mukuro's flurry of strikes. Mukuro's movements were clumsier and less precise than before. She was off her edge. She relentlessly stabbed and slashed at Peko, with a look of twisted lust in her eyes. Her blade sliced into Peko's left shoulder, causing Peko to yell out in pain, but as she did, she thrust her blade into the right side of Mukuro's chest.

Peko's Katana stuck out of Mukuro's back as blood began to dye her white collared shirt crimson red. Mukuro showed no sign of pain. She looked down at the wound with indifference. She coughed up blood and her breaths were ragged. Her lung had been punctured. Peko was shocked to see that the fight was over. Tears continued to pour from Mukuro's eyes as she choked out barely audible giggles. She fell to her knees, clutching the blade that had been thrust into her. She clutched it so hard that it cut into her hand.

" _Why did you do all this? For what purpose?_ " Peko looked down at her, somberly. She had hoped that it wouldn't come to this. She clutched her shoulder as it was still heavily bleeding. She looked down at Mukuro with sternness, but also pity. " _Tell me, before you die. I want to know the truth._ "

Mukuro coughed a few times, as blood seeped from her mouth. Her lips curled into a grin.


	2. Chapter 2

**6 months earlier**

Hajime gazed out the window as the fancy, black SUV cruised down the highway into Shizuoka. Mount Fuji could be seen looming in the distance. Across from Hajime was Fuyuhiko, looking especially somber today. He had barely said a word to Hajime the whole trip. He just looked out the window, which was odd, since the boy had grown much more comfortable around Hajime over the past few months. Rain gently pattered on the windows as the driver took the two of them to their destination.

Hajime checked his phone and of course had a few texts from Natsumi. As he was instructed, Hajime didn't tell her about the details of this trip. He wasn't sure why there was so much secrecy involved, but the orders came down directly from the Oyabun himself, so he didn't question it. Still, something about this whole arrangement gave him an uneasy feeling. Fuyuhiko spontaneously broke the silence.

" _Ok, here's the deal Hajime. We're gonna be arriving soon, so I'm gonna tell you about the guys we are about to meet._ " He said with a sigh. Hajime perked up and leaned forward in his seat, resting his hands on his legs.

" _Sure. It's about time someone told me what's going on here._ " Hajime responded curtly.

" _It's a long story and I'm gonna shorten it down. So pay attention. You know that there are other, smaller clans that are subordinate to the Kuzuryu, right? Then there are clans that belong to other families, who are our allies. They're basically business partners. But there is one family that is neither of those things. We don't do business with them. We don't talk to them. We don't even talk_ ** _about_ **_them. That clan is called the Minamoto clan._ "

Hajime puzzled for a moment. That name sounded familiar. " _Wait a minute. Minamoto? You mean like the noble lords from the Heian period?_ " Hajime asked in astonishment. Fuyuhiko scoffed in disgust.

" _That's what they would like to believe, but I seriously doubt any of those bastards actually has a drop of noble blood between them. It's just part of their own bullshit mythology about themselves._ " Fuyuhiko grumbled with distaste. Hajime could easily detect his hostility.

" _So… why don't you associate with each other?_ " Hajime asked cautiously. Fuyuhiko was silent for a moment.

" _Things weren't always like they are now. The Kuzuryugumi didn't become the strongest syndicate overnight. Back in the old days, before I born, it was a pretty fucked up mess. Families constantly fought for control and territory. It was a different time, Hajime_."

" _So, the Kuzuyru and the Minamoto clan were at war with each other?_ " Hajime asked, feeling even more uneasy about this meeting now.

" _Yeah. They were the two biggest players, but it wasn't a fucking game. It was a bloodbath. There is a reason we don't have much extended family. My uncle… not Satsuo, his older brother, the original heir to the Kuzuryu-gumi….. even he died in that war. It's no joke. Both of our clans barely survived, by the end. Their family tree got fucked up even more than ours did. But eventually, our families managed to reach a truce. The Minamoto clan receded back to their original territory and my father, the new Oyabun, became the de facto leader for all the clans in Japan._ "

Hajime listened intently but puzzled over some of the details that seemed to be missing.  
" _So… how did this war end? Did the Minamoto clan just give up?_ "

Fuyuhiko sighed and looked out the window, crossing his arms.

" _Look, I don't know all the details. I was just a little kid when the war ended, so I don't remember much about it. It isn't talked about. It's sort of a taboo subject. All I know is that we are about to walk into their house and have dinner with them. I'd sooner expect these bastards to slit our throats than feed us. So be on your guard_."

" _I trust your father's jugement. He wouldn't send us in unless this was safe and legit, right?_ " Hajime asked, trying to reassure himself more than Fuyuhiko. Fuyuhiko made a dismissive "Psh" noise.

" _Who the fuck knows? All i'm saying is, watch your back and keep your mouth shut. You're only here as my confidant._ "

" _Why isn't Peko here?_ " Hajime asked perplexingly, as that realization dawned on him. Peko would be a lot more useful than Hajime in this situation. Hajime would feel a lot safer with her here as well.

" _I asked the same thing. Apparently, it's a symbol of trust. If I walked in there with my personal bodyguard and hitman, that might send the wrong message. That's what my father said, anyway. I don't fucking like it, but what can we do._ "

As Fuyuhiko said that, the SUV finally pulled up to a large mansion on the outskirts of the city. It was enormous, easily on par with any of the Kuzuryu properties that Hajime had seen so far. It was traditional and rustic. It looked very old. There was a group of half a dozen men with suits awaiting them. Many of them had shaved heads and they stood poised and professional.

As Hajime and Fuyuhiko exited the vehicle, the other three SUVs in the caravan also stopped to let their passengers out. They were high level executives in the Kuzuryu hierarchy, direct subordinates of the Oyabun. With them, were their own escorts and well-trained bodyguards. Hajime straightened his suit and looked around as the crowd chatted and bickered. A man, roughly in his 40s, with slicked back hair and a white suit crossed the courtyard with an entourage of a dozen security guards, all clad in suits. He approached the group and donned a smile.

" _Gentleman, representatives, and delegates of the Kuzuryugumi, welcome to the Minamoto estate. The standing Oyabun,_ Shinta Masuichi _would like to welcome you all with open arms. It is his hope that today will mark an end to our bitter history and pave the way to a bright future. My name is Tatsuji Hatoyama and I will be your guide today. The Oyabun's personal guards will escort you and aid with your luggage_." He said, with a bow. The crowd conversed with the guards and began moving towards the mansion.

" _Are you ready for this?_ " Hajime asked, nudging Fuyuhiko with his elbow.

" _I just hope their food is better than their boring ass speeches,_ " Fuyuhiko grumbled.

The group funneled into the lobby of the mansion, chattering amongst themselves. Hajime looked around and marveled at the craftsmanship of the architecture and the wide assortment of art that was on display. It was obvious that the Minamoto clan had an appreciation of traditional art and old world aesthetic. Fuyuhiko was either oblivious to these things or jaded to them. The man from before, Tatsuji Hatoyama, called everyone to attention.

" _If all of you would make your way to the kitchen, we have a feast prepared. I am certain that you are famished after your long journey. Please feel free to indulge yourselves,_ " The man said with a bow.

As they entered the banquet hall, Fuyuhiko and Hajime noticed a long table, decked out with a parade of fine cuisine. Unlike the Kuzuryu winter festival, these were purely japanese meals. There was no use of western delicacies. Hajime took a seat next to Fuyuhiko and looked at the food questioningly. It smelled fantastic and it looked appetizing, but he was cautious for other reasons. Hajime looked to Fuyuhiko as the same thought crossed their minds. Everyone else had started eating already. Were they being paranoid to think that it could be poisoned? If it was, everyone else would die. Hajime and Fuyuhiko would then be helpless against the Minamoto guards and they would be killed anyway, if that was their intention. They would be killed either way. Fuyuhiko picked up a roll of golden uni sushi with his chopsticks.

" _Ah, what the hell..._ " he muttered, as he took the whole thing in his mouth. Hajime followed suit and they began chowing down. The room was mostly quite apart from the sound of eating. There weren't many conversations going on now. There was an atmosphere of suspicion and tension in the air now. After an hour or so, Hatoyama stood up and cleared his throat.

" _Now that we have all eaten, we will begin the meeting. Those without designated clearance for this information, please exit the room now._ " he said, as Hajime looked around himself. The guards and lower members all walked of the banquet hall. Hajime began to slip out of his seat, but Fuyuhiko snapped at him.

" _Hey! Where do you think you're going? My dad sent you here for a reason. You're gonna need to hear this stuff too,_ " he said. Hajime stopped in his tracks and felt a little dumb. He awkwardly took his seat next to Fuyuhiko. The Kuzuryu and Minamoto clan members were seated on opposite sides of the table. Apart from Hajime and Fuyuhiko, there were five top ranking members of the Kuzuryu clan. They presided over the clan's operations in five of Japan's largest cities.

A man in his late 60s, with a white beard, slowly rose to his feet and addressed the room. He was grizzled and had a shrewd stare, as he surveyed the room.

 _"Now that all parties are in attendance, we can begin this meeting. This is the first time in three decades that our clans have met at the table diplomacy. It is my wish that we do not waste this opportunity._ "

The man continued to ramble on and on with the formalities. Fuyuhiko leaned over to whisper to Hajime. " _That guy is Shinta Masuichi. He is the standing Oyabun of the Minamoto clan. But he isn't an official Oyabun. He's just holding the position until their heir is old enough to take over,_ " Fuyuhiko explained.

" _To his right, that chick is Maaya Umebayahsi. She is head of finances for the clan."_ he said, as Hajime's eyes drifted to the busty woman with dyed red hair. She was clearly in her 40s but she had an impressive figure and was quite beautiful. Her Kimono revealed some of her cleavage, at which Hajime caught himself staring. He stared not just at her figure but at her beautiful tattoos that sprawled her chest, shoulders, arms and chest. The dominating shape within the tattoos was a bright red phoenix, burning out of control.

" _Wait a minute. I thought that there weren't women in the Yakuza hierarchy?_ " Hajime asked, a bit perplexed. This clan seemed particularly traditional.

" _She is an odd case. She was married to the previous Oyabun and is highly revered by members of the clan. So, she was put in charge of finances and logistical management. She doesn't technically carry any serious authority. But that doesn't mean that she cant get guys to do what she wants and carry out her bidding. I mean, just look at her_."

Hajime could imagine how she could be persuasive. She had an air of confidence and seduction. Hajime mused that it would be hard to say "no" to her if she offered to let him rest his head on her lap. Hajimes shook himself back to reality as his imagination began to run away with itself. He didn't want to imagine the scorn that Natsumi would heap upon him if she knew he was thinking such things.

" _So, how do you know so much about what's going on in this clan? You guys haven't had contact in a long time, right?_ " He asked, wondering how Fuyuhiko was privy to this kind of intel on an enemy clan.

 _"Come on, Hajime. You think that we don't keep an eye on our enemies? We've been watching every move they make and they've probably done the same to us. It's just the name of the game."_ Fuyuhiko explained, whispering a bit quieter this time.

" _Anyway, the guy sitting beside her is her personal guard and hitman. Kinda like how Peko is to me. I don't remember his name but apparently he is one of the top swordsman in the world. Their training program is even more rigorous than ours,_ " he explained. Hajime got a good look of the man. He was probably in his 30s and his hair was tied in a ponytail. He had a black goatee and was very handsome. He had a powerful aura of calmness and patience. Like his mistress he donned traditional wear, in this case a Yukata. His tattoos were clearly visible. The scales of a blue dragon were partially visible on his chest. Fuyuhiko continued, gesturing towards Hatoyama.

" _You already know the guy on the left of the Oyabun. We saw him earlier. Tatsuji Hatoyama. He is the right hand man of the Oyabun. He's another key player. Their Oyabun is old as dirt, so this guy makes most of the actual decisions. He puts on the act of being a humble servant of the clan, but he is probably the most powerful person in this room. And he's one dangerous son of a bitch._ "

Before Fuyuhiko could fill in Hajime on the other members, the Oyabun finished the introduction of the meeting. He sat down and Hatoyama stood up.

" _As you all know, the intention of this meeting, is not to simply establish peace, but to unite our clans under one banner. However, do not misinterpret this as a capitulation. We do not intend on subjugating ourselves to you, but rather, to preserve our long term existence, through mutual respect and a bond of blood._ "

( _Bond of blood?_ ) Hajime thought to himself. What did he mean by that? He listened carefully as the man continued.

" _A consolidation solution was proposed over a decade ago, but has yet to be put into practice. We believe that now the time is right. We believe that reconciliation between our clans should be sought in the traditional means, through marriage. In doing so, our two families will join as one with a shared lineage. We will join the Kuzuryugumi not as vassals, but as brothers,_ " the man said, raising his arm and balling his hand into a tight fist.

Hajime turned to Fuyuhiko, skeptically. He now had some serious questions.

" _Wait a minute. Are you going to be marrying a Minamoto girl or something?_ " Hajime asked, in shock. However, that shock was nothing compared to what came next.

" _That is why it has been decided, between the leadership of the Kuzuryugumi and the Minamoto, that our clan's sole heir, Minamoto Hideki, will marry Natsumi Kuzuryu of the Kuzuryugumi."_

" _What?! Are you serious?"_ Hajime accidentally blurted out loud as he stood up, causing all eyes in the room to turn to him. He realized what he had done and his face went pale.

 _"Who is this kid and why is he in this meeting?"_ one of the delegates asked, as many more began murmuring. Fuyuhiko stood up, putting his hand on Hajime's shoulder, urging him to sit down.

 _"Please pardon my colleague here. He's a bit out of the loop with these things. He didn't mean to interrupt,_ " Fuyuhiko said, awkwardly as he grunted at Hajime " _Sit down, jackass!_ "

Hajime still didn't back down yet. He still had a lot of questions he needed answered.

" _What is your name, boy?_ " Hatoyama asked with spite. Hajime could feel the menace emanating from this man, from across the table.

 _"My name is Hajime Hinata. I'm Natsumi's….. bodyguard and confidant, and I would like to know what this is all about. What do you mean that Natsumi will marry the Minamoto heir? When was this decided?"_

The man sighed patiently and then looked Hajime in the eyes.

" _I understand your frustration. As someone assigned to lady Kuzuryu's protection, you would prefer to be informed of these developments. However, these decisions are made at the highest level of clan leadership and are done so in secret. You are not entitled to this information as an underling,_ " the man explained. However, that didn't address Hajime's actual concerns.

" _That's not what I mean. How could this decision be made without even telling Natsumi? Has she even met this guy?_ " Hajime asked, as murmurs began to flow through the room. Hajime didn't even register the disrespect of referring to the future Oyabun of their clan as "this guy." Fuyuhiko wanted to facepalm. He had already tried his best to explain away Hajime's outburst, but now that was impossible.

" _I'm not sure I understand what point you are trying to make, young man. But you are testing my patience,_ " he said calmly, with a hint of annoyance in his voice. Hajime didn't back down.

 _"Shouldn't Natsumi have a say in this? You can't just make this decision for her,_ " he said, as the room grew more unsettled. There were mutterings and gasps.

" _Who is this little punk? Who invited him to this meeting?_ " one of them asked angrily.

Hatoyama looked at him coldly. It was an icy stare that seemed to stab through Hajime's body. " _That is not of concern to you. And I suggest you remember your place, boy. You will not disrespect us in our own house without consequences_." He said, threateningly. Fuyuhiko grabbed Hajime's arm and whispered to him.

" _Seriously Hajime, sit the fuck down! This is serious! We can talk about this later!_ " he urged desperately. Then the old man spoke up with a light chuckle.

" _Now, now, Hatoyama. This young man was hand picked for this meeting by Oyabun Matsushige, just as everyone else at this table. Hajime Hinata, wasn't it? He deserves to have his voice heard as well. Don't exclude him from our discourse,_ " he said, as Hatoyama looked at him bewilderedly. He cleared his throat and straightened his tie, recollecting himself and regaining his former composure.

 _"Very well then. You work closely to Lady Natsumi, so perhaps your input would be useful in this matter. Speak your case, Mr. Hinata._ " Hatoyama said, still casting a cold glare towards the young man.

Hajime looked around the room as all the eyes were on him. He gulped and cleared his throat. Fuyuhiko looked at him cautiously.

 _"I know Natsumi. She isn't going to be very happy about you deciding this kind of thing for her, without her input. She will never agree to it._ " He explained, as he received many skeptical looks.

" _Natsumi Kuzuryu has a duty, as an heir to her clan, to do what is in its best interests and put those interests before her own. Her compliance will be expected of her, not requested._ " Said Hatoyama with a cold and resolute tone. Hajime clenched his fist. At his side, anger swelling inside him.

" _Natsumi is her own person! She isn't a bargaining chip to be used by all of you!_ " he said forcefully. Hajime was shot many looks of contempt by both sides of the table.

" _Your naivete is no longer charming, Mr. Hinata. This decision has been deliberated by the Oyabun of both of our clans, as well as the entire Seiko-Kamon. Do you really intend on defying their will for such infantile and self centered reasons? I will offer you one last chance to take your seat and hold your tongue."_ He said with true menace in his voice.

Hajime gulped as the gravity of the situation was beginning to weigh down on him. He wanted to take a stand for Natsumi, but it was literally him verses the entire crime world of Japan. All around the room, countless pairs of eyes shot daggers through him. He felt like he was the only voice of reason in the room, and he was backed up against the wall. Should he back down now? The consequences could be dire if he didn't.

Hajime suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. Fuyuhiko was standing beside Hajime and he looked up into Hajime's eyes with a look of reassurance. Fuyuhiko turned to Hatoyama and sneered at him.

" _Nothing's been decided yet. These negotiations are still going on, so don't try to back my colleague into a corner. As Natsumi's brother and the heir the Kuzuryugumi, I share the same concerns as he does. Are you gonna threaten me too?_ " He asked in a harsh tone, crossing his arms. Hajime turned to him in surprise.

" _This is absurd. You may not personally approve, but the issue has already been settled. This meeting is simply to discuss the details of how this arrangement will be carried out. It's far too late for reservations_." Hatoyama said with a sigh, holding his head with annoyance.

" _Wait a moment Hatoyama. Perhaps it would be wise to heed the warnings of these young men. Ignoring these warnings, could potentially lead to disaster. You of all people should understand this._ " The Oyabun spoke in a solemn tone. Hatoyama turned to him in shock. Hajime was shocked as well, but, despite that, he breathed a sigh of relief.

" _But sir! This was the entire basis of this summit! Without the unifying marriage between clans that was agreed upon, this entire meeting is null and void_!" Hatoyama exclaimed in frustration.

" _Then perhaps compromise is needed, as one should expect from any negotiation_." Oyabun Masuichi spoke in a calm tone before turning his attention to Hajime.

" _You have expressed your concern over the wellbeing of Lady Natsumi, as her underling and as her friend, I assume. Your concerns are valid, but surely you do not intend to stonewall this process entirely, purely based on your own emotions? Your concerns were that Lady Natsumi had not been given time to adjust or give her own consent to this arrangement. Is that correct?_ "

Hajime stood at attention as he was addressed directly by the Oyabun.

" _Yes sir. That is all correct,_ " he responded, even though, in truth, his reservations ran much, much deeper than that.

 _"If that is the case, then we will remedy these concerns. It may surprise you, but my lieutenant is not much of a romantic. So perhaps he didn't see fit to allow a courting period. This would allow Hideki and Natsumi get to know one another and grow the roots of their relationship before marriage is finalized. This is what I propose we do, moving forward. I trust this is a suitable compromise, Mr Hinata?_ "

Hajime still had his reservations, obviously. He didn't want this Hideki guy "courting" Natsumi. The thought made him physically ill. But he realized the position he was in. The Oyabun was prepared to compromise and Hajime was already on thin ice. He had to make a decision.

" _Y-yes… That is a much better idea. I am in favor of it,_ " he said with a nod. The Oyabun put his hands together in a clap.

" _Wonderful. It's decided then. And I already have a good idea of how this can be implemented_ " He said, scratching his beard. " _Lady Natsumi attends the reserve course at Hope's Peak, correct? I assume you must as well if you are her personal bodyguard,_ " he asked Hajime as Hajime began to piece together what he was suggesting.

" _Hideki is about the same age as you and Natsumi. So, we will see to it that he is transferred to Hope's Peak as soon as possible. This will give him and Natsumi time to get know each other, and it is the perfect environment for youthful romance to bloom_."

Hajime was understandably put off by the idea. He didn't like it at all, but at least it gave them time. The room rang with unanimous approval from both sides. The negotiations had been salvaged, but the end result still left Hajime less than satisfied. He gave a bow to the Oyabun.

" _Thank you for hearing my case, sir,_ " he thanked the Oyabun before sitting down. Fuyuhiko and Hajime sat down and they both breathed a sigh of relief as the tension in the air died down.

" _Thanks for sticking up for me, there at the end._ " Hajime sighed, looking over at Fuyuhiko. Fuyuhiko crossed his arms and let out a "tch" noise.

" _I couldn't just sit there looking like a fucking chump, while you stood up for Natsumi,_ " the young gangster said with a look of mild shame and disappointment in himself.

" _You did what I didn't have the balls to do. She's my little sister, and I was too chicken shit to stick my neck out for her. Man I'm pathetic,_ " he said, with self denigrating chuckle.

 _"It's fine. I don't blame you. The important thing is, what the hell we are going to do about this? They're pretty intent on making this thing happen. Even your dad signed off on it_." Hajime said, with a troubled look on his face.

 _"I'm still not sure. We'll handle it as it comes. But you're going to have to be the one to tell Natsumi._ " Fuyuhiko responded, catching Hajime off guard.

 _"W-what? You want me to tell her!?_ "

" _Of course I do! Look, Hajime, I'm not stupid. I know how things are between you two. So it only seems right that you should talk it out with her._ "

" _She's not going to like it…_ " Hajime muttered as he stared off and put his hand to his mouth, in deep contemplation. He knew one thing. This was not going to end well.


	3. Chapter 3

Hajime walked up the steps slowly, towards Natsumi's dorm room floor. He had his hands in his pockets as he walked. Ever since he left on this trip, all he thought about was getting back and being with Natsumi, but after all that had happened, he wasn't nearly as enthusiastic as he thought he would be. He still couldn't get the words of the meeting out of his head. How was he going to break this news to Natsumi? What would she say? What was their future going to look like now? Would Natsumi really end up marrying this guy?

( _Come on. Stop being an idiot. Natsumi would never accept that. She couldn't….._ )

But as he walked and pondered the question, seeds of doubt sprouted in his mind. Natsumi took her family very seriously. Would her feelings of duty and responsibility supercede her feelings for him?

Before he realized it, he was at her door. He looked around and then proceeded to knock three times. He waited a few moments and the door slowly creaked open. Then a hand suddenly reached out and grabbed Hajime by the tie. He was yanked inside and the door slammed behind him. He swung around and found himself pinned up against the wall.

Natsumi stood there with a smug grin, grabbing Hajime by his tie like it was a leash. She stood on her tip toes and leaned in close..

" _You've got some nerve, leaving me waiting like this_ ," she whispered seductively as their noses touched. Her lips were so close to his that he could feel her warm breath as she spoke.

" _S-sorry. My, uh…. Plane landed a little late and-_ " he babbled before he was interrupted. Natsumi yanked his tie and pulled him closer and whispered in his ear sensually.

" _You better pay me back double, for the time you were gone_ " she said as she unbuttoned his shirt. Natsumi looked up into his eyes with a sly grin. She had a faint blush on her cheeks. Hajime snaked his hand down around her lower back and pulled her closer to him, looking in her eyes.

" _I'll pay you back with interest_." Hajime said as Natsumi chuckled at the sheer cheesiness of that line. The two of them locked eyes. There was a moment of silence between the both of them. They both closed their eyes and their lips locked together. They shared a warm embrace as they made out. Natsumi raised her left leg as she leaned against Hajime. The two of them collapsed on her couch, startling Little Joe, the black cat. He hissed and hopped up.

Natsumi was momentarily distracted by it. " _Ah, shit! Sorry about that, Joe_." She called after the cat as he scurried off.

" _He's starting to get big,_ " Hajime remarked. Natsumi nodded and laid her head on Hajime's chest. Hajime felt the full warmth of her body as she lied on top of him. He could smell the soft floral scent of her blonde hair.

" _I ordered a movie for us to watch_ ," she said with a smile as she raised her head and looked in Hajime's eyes. She looked excited.

" _Let me guess. It's an American gangster movie_?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

 _"No. It's a gooey romance_ " she replied sarcastically, giving Hajime a flick on the forehead. " _Of course it's a gangster movie, dumbass_ " she said with a smug grin as she climbed off of Hajime. She walked over to put the movie in the Blu-Ray player.

Hajime took his phone out of his picket and set it on a small table beside the couch. He looked at it for a moment and shook his mind off of it. For now, he was going to enjoy some time with Natsumi. The business could wait.

Over an hour later, the only light in the room was the illumination of the TV. Hajime lied on the couch with Natsumi in front of him, in a spooning position. As they had been laying there, Natsumi grabbed one of his arms and placed it over herself. It wasn't long before her eyelids grew heavy and she had passed out. It was late. It was past 2AM at that point. She had stayed up late just to get to see him that night. Hajime gently slid out from behind her, moving slowly to avoid waking her. Natsumi curled her body in her sleep and muttered to herself. She looked cold, so Hajime placed a blanket over her. She looked so peaceful and vulnerable when she was asleep,

Hajime took his phone off of the counter and stepped outside. He switched the phone off of sleep mode and unlocked the screen. He had a text from an hour earlier.

 **"So? Did you tell her yet?"**

It was Fuyuhiko. Hajime sighed and texted back quickly

" **I'm working on it"**

He waited a few moments before Fuyuhiko shot back.

 **"What the fuck dude. You said you were going to tell her. Just get it over with"**

Hajime rolled his eyes and texted back.

 **"I will, don't worry"**

Then, a few moments later, his phone began to ring. He panicked for a moment and quickly answered it, making sure the noise didn't wake Natsumi or any of the other neighbors for that matter.

 _"I told you I've got this"_ Hajime grumbled into the phone.

 _"You're a dense motherfucker, you know that, Hajime?"_ Fuyuhiko said over the phone.

 _"Yeah. I've been told"_ Hajime wryly responded.

 _"Do you know why I wanted you to tell Natsumi?_ "

 _"So she would strangle me instead of you?"_ Hajime responded sarcastically.

 _"No, dipshit. Natsumi needs to hear it from you because she also needs to know that you aren't gonna take this shit lying down. She needs to know that you have her back in this."_

Hajime paused for a moment, unsure of what to say. He looked up at the dark sky.

 _"Are you saying you… are rooting for me and Natsumi to…. you know…"_

Fuyuhiko could be heard sighing on the other end of the line.

 _"Don't read too much into it Hajime. I would much rather her be with you than married off to some Minamoto scumbag. End of story."_

 _"Understood."_ Hajime said calmly. He felt comforted by the fact that Fuyuhiko seemed to have his back in all this and that he seemed to be warming up to the idea of him dating his sister. _"She's asleep right now, but I will tell her in the morning."_

 _"Fine. Whatever. Just remem-... wait…... What do you mean she's asleep? Are you at her place right now?"_

Hajime's blood ran cold for a moment. He froze up and then sputtered out. _"W-what? No of course not. I was…. uh….. texting her earlier and she said she was going to bed. I mean it's 2 A.M. so of course she would be asleep now. Anyway, I'll talk to you tomorrow,_ " he blurted out before hanging up. He exhaled a ragged sigh and then entered Natsumi's dorm.

Natsumi stirred on the bed and reached up to rub her eyes. Her blond hair was messy and in her face as she yawned. She groggily moaned.

 _"Ngghh…. why … are you up?"_ She asked him as he walked over to scoop her off of the couch. He picked her up and carried her into her bedroom.

 _"It was nothing,"_ he said as he set her down on the soft, white sheets of her bed. She was still mostly asleep. He was going to head back to his apartment, that way he would be able to get ready for school in the morning easier. But as he got up Natsumi grabbed his wrist.

 _"Where do you think you're going?"_ she grumbled, still half asleep.

 _"I was gonna head back to my place. Since we've got school tomorrow."_ He responded softly. Natsumi took his hand and placed it on her cheek, as she closed her eyes, savoring the warmth.

 _"Nope. You're not going anywhere skinny-boy."_ She yawned sleepily. Hajime caved in at that point. He slipped into bed with her and let her move in close to him. She nuzzled against his chest as he held her close. Hajime savored his moment. He knew in that moment that no matter what happened and no matter what dangers they faced, he was not going to let Natsumi go.


	4. Chapter 4

_"What… the…_ ** _Fuck_ **_! Hell no!"_ Natsumi yelled furiously, across the lunch table. The commotion attracted attention from those around them as she stood up out of her chair. It was in the early morning, as students were funneling in for breakfast. Natsumi's face was red with anger.

 _"Calm down, Natsumi. I'm not happy about this either, but-"_ he attempted, in vain, to calm her down. The girl wasn't having any of it.

 _"Calm down? How can I be calm about this?! How the fuck do they get off thinking they can just sell me off to some guy," she raved, in steaming anger. "And my dad! How could he sign off on this idea?! What was he thinking?"_ The girl ranted in frustration. Hajime had not seen her this flustered in a long time.

 _"Sit down, at least. Freaking out like this won't do any good."_ Hajime said, as Natsumi crossed her arms and huffed angrily. She sat down and chugged her orange juice before slamming the can down.

 _"I'm not going to go through with it. I don't care if I'm punished, or disowned, or killed or whatever. It doesn't matter. Nothing will make me change my mind."_ She stated with angry determination. Hajime was actually sort of relieved by her resolve and her resistance to this plan.

" _None of that's gonna happen,_ " he tried to assure her. However, in all honesty, he wasn't sure what the consequences would be if she defied the marriage arrangement. _"I'm sure your father isn't going to force you at gunpoint._ "

" _So what happens now? I'm supposed to meet this prick and let him woo me with his charms? Tch, what a joke,_ " she scowled. Hajime also was also deeply unsettled by the idea.

" _Something like that. They agreed to be a bit more flexible with this. They agreed to give you two time to know each other before a decision is made. He'll be transferring here soon,_ " Hajime explained. Natsumi smirked sardonically and crossed her arms.

" _They're wasting their time. As soon as he gets here, I'm telling him to put his ass back on that plane and hightail it back to the hole he crawled out of,_ " she said with menacing scorn in her voice, unlike any Hajime had heard since her arguments with Sato.

" _Easy there, Natsumi. I know you aren't going to marry this guy, but we still need to think about what is at stake for the Kuzuryu. We don't want to completely burn the bridge your father has been working to build._ " Hajime urged. He began to worry Natsumi might trigger another clan war. The blonde girl's eyes narrowed in suspicion and annoyance.

" _You almost sound like you're on board with this plan, Hajime. Do you actually want me to start dating this guy or something?_ " She asked, in a soft, but scathing tone.

" _Of course not!_ " Hajime exclaimed. " _I just want to be diplomatic about this. I'm just as pissed about this as you are, but we have to think about the bigger picture!_ "

" _Yeah, whatever..._ " Natsumi snapped as she stood up, grabbed her bag and stormed off. She didn't even bring her tray to the garbage. Hajime sighed and nursed a minor headache. That went just as well as he expected it to. He didn't even get to say everything he wanted to, and now Natsumi was angry with him. She didn't talk to him the rest of the day. She simply sulked and grumbled.

The next day, Hajime walked to class at a sluggish pace. Natsumi wasn't there at the entrance to greet him as she usually was. He expected that. When he got to class, she was sitting in her seat, staring off. Her gaze met his and she shifted her eyes away to look out the window, with a sullen look on her face. Hajime sat down next to her. They both sat quietly as the class continued to fill. Hajime turned to her, as she still averted her gaze from him.

" _Hey Natsumi,"_ he called over to her, as she turned her head to look at him. Now that he got a good look at her face he could tell that something was off. Her eyes were red and she had slight bags under her eyes. The past night had clearly been a sleepless one for her.

" _What is it?_ " she asked. Her tone wasn't hostile, just apathetic.

" _I just wanted to tell you, I-_ " he managed to speak before the teacher called the class to attention and interrupted him.

" _Attention class. I have an announcement to make. One of your classmates, Hideyo Hisekawa, has transferred to an empty slot in class B, and a new transfer student will be joining our class_."  
He said as Hajime and Natsumi looked at each other in shock.

( _There's no way….. He's here already?! How is that even possible?!_ ) Hajime thought to himself.

Not a moment later, a young man walked into the room. He was slightly taller than Hajime. He wore a collared shirt and a black overcoat. His long black hair was combed out of his face. His features were even and handsome and it was clear that under his clothes he had a reasonable amount of muscle. He slung his book bag over his left shoulder as he casually strolled in.

( _Oh no... He's hot._ ) Hajime lamented as his face grew pale. He was praying that this guy would be some gross thug, or some overweight, spoiled snob. This was not what he expected. This guy was undeniably attractive, so much so that all the girls in the classroom already couldn't take their eyes off of him. Even Natsumi had a look of surprise on her face.

The young man had a subtle smile on his face as he looked around the room. His gaze briefly shifted to Natsumi. They made brief eye contact before she turned away. He turned his attention to the rest of the room. He stood there calmly before speaking up. His voice was smooth and masculine.

" _I'll admit, I have no talent or speeches, so I will make this quick. My name is Hideki Minamoto. I'm the heir of the Minamoto clan, a Yakuza family. I just wanted to get that out of the way now before it comes up in rumors, later,_ " he said with a casual smile. The room erupted into murmurs and worried whispers.

" _Geez, there's_ ** _another_** _Yakuza in our class_?" One of them whispered to another, already gossiping. Hideki watched them all without an ounce of offense or concern. He looked at it as if it was inconsequential.

 _"I understand this may be worrying to some of you. I understand how my family name could be… Intimidating. But I would like to assure you all, that I have no ill intent towards any of you. I see you all as potential friends and future business associates. Despite what vision you might have of the Yakuza, my family has taught me honor, respect, and generosity. And I hope to prove that to all of you._ " He said with a bow, which brought the room to complete silence.

Even the teacher was a bit stunned, seeing how this student's introduction was the polar opposite of a certain other Yakuza's from recent memory. The teacher directed Hideki to a seat near the back that was on the right side of Natsumi. The young man walked down the row and once again made brief eye contact with Natsumi. She made a light "hmph" noise and turned her head away. Hideki just smirked and took a seat.

The class continued awkwardly, at least for Hajime and Natsumi. A stirring whirlpool of conflicting emotions churned in their heads as Hideki just relaxed and calmly took in his surroundings. Eventually the awkward class session ended and Hideki turned to Hajime and Natsumi. He grinned and crossed his arms.

" _Well this isn't going to get any less awkward. So we might as well get introduced, Natsumi. And you too, Mr. Hinata._ " He said politely.

Natsumi looked away and scoffed in her usual fashion. It took her a while to respond.

" _I'll pass_ ," she sneered with contempt. Hajime was a little distressed at her frank rudeness.

" _Natsumi… come on,_ "he urged her, trying to get her to be a bit more gracious. Hideki just chuckled.

" _No, it's ok, Hinata. I understand she wouldn't be happy about this arrangement. To tell you the truth, I'm no fan of it either. It definitely wasn't my idea_." He said, as the pouting Natsumi turned to look at him, with slight curiosity.

" _How about we talk about this more over lunch. I haven't been to the cafeteria yet, and I would like to get to know you both more_ ," he said, as Natsumi simply rolled her eyes. Conversely, Hajime was much more welcoming.

" _Sure thing. I was just about to suggest that_ ," Hajime said with a welcoming smile. Natsumi shot Hajime an annoyed glare.

" _Whatever,_ " she sighed.

Before long, the trio found themselves sitting at the usual table in the cafeteria. Natsumi chomped on her food angrily. Hajime sat next to her and Hideki sat across from them. Natsumi certainly wasn't going to start up any conversations. Hajime sat there awkwardly, unsure of what to say. Hideki, once again, had to be the one to break the silence.

" _So, Hajime. I've heard a lot about you. That stunt you pulled at the meeting really got people talking._ " He said with a grin. Natsumi stopped eating and looked at Hajime curiously.

" _What stunt? What's he talking about?_ " She interrogated. Hideki answered before Hajime could.

" _He stood up to the whole assembly on his own. When they announced their plan he flipped out on them. Originally they were gonna fast track the marriage immediately. Hajime wasn't going to have that. He forced them to compromise and give us this trial period. Did he not tell you this?_ " Hideki asked as Natsumi felt her cheeks turning red. She had no idea he had done that for her. He didn't even tell her. Part of her was angry with him for that.

" _You've got a pretty loyal bodyguard. So that really makes me curious. How did you two meet?_ " He asked as both Hajime and Natsumi both turned a shade of red. Natsumi looked away. Hajime scratched his head.

" _Well... you see... it's kind of a long story_." Hajime babbled, as Hideki simply watched, and analyzed his response.

" _When Natsumi transferred here, we met and somehow became friends. And I ended up employed by her father_." He explained. Hideki nodded and listened.

" _You left out the part where you saved her life._ "

" _Huh?! How did you know about that?_ " Hajime asked in surprise.

" _Umm, how would I_ ** _not_** _know about that? It was all over the news. The whole Yakuza world heard about it_ ," he stated as a matter of fact. That never even occurred to Hajime. It was a humbling, yet unsettling revelation.

" _Oh, right. That makes sense,_ " Hajime blushed, awkwardly, scratching his head and smiling like an idiot. Hideki turned to Natsumi, who was still giving him the silent treatment.

" _You're pretty lucky to have a friend as loyal as Hinata_ ," he complimented, which caused more embarrassment to swell up within her. She scoffed and looked away.

" _I know that. I don't need you to tell_ ** _me_ **_that,_ " She muttered as she stood up and walked away, once again leaving her tray without taking it up to the trash. Now it was just Hajime and Hideki.

" _I detect a little bit of hostility coming from her._ " Hideki sarcastically noted.

" _Yeah, get used to it, with her._ "

" _This is going to be more difficult than I thought,_ " Hideki mused, as he rubbed his chin.

" _How about I show you around the school?_ " Hajime offered, changing the subject away from Natsumi. Hideki nodded.

" _That would be fantastic. You're a good man, Hinata,_ " Hideki responded, with genuine admiration. He extended his hand to shake Hajime's. Hajime took it and was surprised by Hideki's strong grip.

" _It's no problem. You can just call me Hajime_ ," he replied. Hajime certainly didn't expect to be hitting it off with his romantic rival. It just wasn't in his nature to be preemptively hostile to a person he just met. For better or for worse, Hajime was still not an aggressive person.

Hajime swung by the classroom to let the teacher know he would be showing the new student around. He had a sudden sense of deja vu, as he led Hideki through the halls, showing him all the amenities and activity centers the school had to offer.

" _There are all kinds of sports here, if you're into them,_ " He explained as they passed the basketball court.

" _I'm not much of sports guy. I'm not that great at them, except for baseball. And basketball. And I'm pretty decent at volleyball._ " He said, going down the list, as Hajime just sighed.

( _That's his definition of not being good at sports_?) Hajime thought to himself.

" _So, Hajime. I hate to draw us back into our original conversation. But I wanted to ask you in private. What do you think of Lady Natsumi?_ " Hideki asked, casually.

" _W-what do I think?_ " Hajime stammered. He wasn't sure what to say, or how much he **should** this situation.

" _I'm sure you think_ ** _something_ **_about her, if you're willing to stick your neck out for her again and again_ ," he postulated. Hajime gulped and collected his thoughts.

" _Natsumi is….. difficult at first. She can be pretty rude and blunt. But once you get to know her, she is not a bad person. She's really tried to improve herself, and she cares about the people closest to her._ " As Hajime spoke, Hideki could hear the passion in his words and he subtly smirked.

" _And she's pretty cute isn't she_?" He said, nudging Hajime with his elbow. Hajime snapped back to reality and was taken off guard by the remark. He blushed slightly and adjusted the collar of his shirt.

" _What? No!... Well… I mean, she is. But I don't just like her because of that._ "

" _But you_ ** _do_** _like her, don't you Hajime?_ " Hideki said as he stood with his hands in his pockets, grinning smugly at Hajime. Hajime began to sweat and he wasn't sure what to say. He stood there looking like an idiot, with his mouth agape.

" _I'm just messing with you, Hajime. I won't pry anymore. I don't want to step on any landmines,_ " he said jokingly, patting the nervous boy on the shoulder. _"We should probably head back to class."_

Hajime sighed and quickly recovered from his previous uneasiness.

" _Right..._ " Hajime affirmed as they began walking. Moments later, Hajime stopped in his tracks as he felt his phone vibrating in his pocket. He took it out and saw that he had a few texts from Fuyuhiko.

 **"WTF! That asshole is there already?"**

 **'Meet me in the courtyard ASAP"**

 **"Don't bring Natsumi"**

Hajime read through them and turned to Hideki.

" _Um, hey. I gotta go run a few errands. I'll see you in class later,_ " he told the other young man. Hideki nodded his head in understanding and turned to walk away.

" _Sure thing. I'll catch you later Hajime_." Hideki raised his hand in a waving gesture as he departed. Hajime then headed down the stairs. On the way out, he passed the front office, where the sounds of intense arguing could be heard. A female voice could be heard yapping the loudest. At first, he wondered if Natsumi had somehow ended up down here, but as he got closer, he saw that it was a different girl.

She was roughly his age. She had black hair, that was slightly shorter than shoulder length. She wore a white, long sleeve, collared shirt with rolled up sleeves and had a coat slung over her shoulder. She donned black gloves and black pants. She was around Natsumi's height and she had a similar hot tempered demeanor. She was athletic under her clothes and she looked profoundly uncomfortable in her formal attire. She spoke in a tomboyish, brash tone.

" _Quit being a bunch of dickheads and just let me see him already! It's already past lunch!_ " the girl shouted at one of the school staff members. She was holding a bento box, wrapped in a bandana. She held it up in the air and gestured with it as she talked.

" _I'm sorry, ma'am, but I've already told you many times. Visitors are not allowed on school premises without a pass and authorizati-_ " the woman tried to explain, but the frustrated teen just lashed out angrily, baring her fist.

" _Fuck your pass! You're gonna pass your teeth through your goddamn digestive tract if you don't tell me where Hideki's classroom is!_ " she threatened.

" _W-what?_ " The woman stuttered, too shocked at the crude threat to even respond. At that point, Hajime stepped in.

" _Um. Excuse me. I know Hideki. I can deliver that to him if you wa-_ " Hajime spoke, as the girl quickly turned to him and sharply cut him off.

" _Ah. I recognize you. You're that weirdo from the summit. Fuckin….. Hajinata or whatever._ " She interrupted, looking Hajime over. She seemed less than impressed.

" _Pshh. This is what passes for a bodyguard in the Kuzuryu-gumi? You guys must be really short handed,_ " she sneered in a haughty tone. Hajime rolled his eyes and brushed off the insult.

" _And who are you, exactly?_ " Hajime asked as the girl stood before him, posturing herself. She flexed her arm, even though her muscles were not bulky enough to be seen under her shirt. She jammed her thumb against her chest.

" _I'm Hideki's sworn bodyguard and protector. Unlike you, I'm a force to be reckoned with. The name's Eri Kusakari. Don't forget, bub!_ " She said with a cocky wink. Hajime once again rolled his eyes.

" _I didn't even know Hideki had a bodyguard_." Hajime said as the girl's posture deflated and she looked at him with annoyance and contempt.

" _Well, he does, douchebag. They just couldn't secure two slots in the reserve course for us._ " The girl angrily clenched her fist in anger and regret. It almost seemed like she was struggling not to cry.

" _Um… well that's unfortunate. But you shouldn't worry about him. He already ate at the cafeteria._ " He explained. Eri fumed and griped the bento box angrily.

" _God dammit! I made this just for him and he goes off and eats some shitty processed cafeteria food. That… jerk._ " She seethed through her teeth.

" _Wow. You must really care about him if you'd go through all that trouble._ " Hajime remarked, to which she turned to him, red faced. She had a deeply unsettled look on her face and her eye twitched.

" _What are you implying, skinny ass!?_ " she blurted out

" _N-nothing. Forget I asked,_ " he sidestepped, as he was afraid the girl might punch him. Instead of doing that, she just turned and began to walk away, but as she did that she looked over her shoulder.

" _Tell Hideki that I'll be bringing his food tomorrow, like we talked about. And if he gets cafeteria food again, I'm gonna beat his ass!_ " The tomboy muttered before storming off. Hajime and the school administrator both breathed a heavy sigh of relief once she was gone.

Fuyuhiko and Peko waited by the fountain in the school courtyard. Fuyuhiko sat on the edge of the edge of the concrete fountain and Peko stood with her arms crossed. They saw Hajime approach and Fuyuhiko stood up, straightening his clothes.

" _Hey guys._ " Hajime said as he looked at the both of them. They had serious expressions on their faces.

"Status report," Peko demanded in a flat, serious tone as Hajime looked at her, confused.

"What?"

" _She fucking means 'status report,' man. What the fuck is going on?_ " Fuyuhiko yelled as he grabbed Hajime by his coat, shaking him. Hajime tried his best to calm the raving young Yakuza, but the young gangster was not in a very reasonable mood.

" _Hey! Easy! I was just as shocked as you. I didn't expect this either. He just... showed up,_ " He tried to explain.

" _What's he doing? Has he been putting the moves on Natsumi? If he does, I'm gonna take his ass out. I don't give a shit if it starts a war!_ " Fuyuhiko fumed.

" _He hasn't done anything like that. He's a pretty normal guy. He's pretty polite. And he isn't even on board with the whole marriage plan_."

" _That may be what he told you, but this is only your first impression of him. You would be a fool to take him at face value_." Peko said calmly and sternly.

" _Yeah, he might be acting all behaved now, but he could turn on a dime. You can't trust these guys, Hajime,_ " Fuyuhiko said, crossing his arms grimacing with disdain.

" _I know that. I'm still gonna keep an eye on him. I just wish we had more time to come up with a plan. "_

 _"How did he get into the course so quickly_?" Peko pondered. Hajime also wondered the same thing.

"Well, _there was a slot open in class B, after the Sato incident. One of the students in my class was just transferred to class B to make room for Hideki_." Hajime explained.

" _But there's still paperwork and shit, isn't there? It would still take at least a few months for him to get into the school. Something doesn't add up,_ " Fuyuhiko pondered as he paced back and forth .

" _Is it possible that they threatened the school? I could imagine them doing that,_ " Hajime suggested.

" _Not likely. The Kuzuryu-gumi are a major shareholder for Hope's Peak. Therefore Hope's peak is under their protection. If that would have happened, the school would have notified the Kuzuryu family to stave them off_." the silver haired girl explained.

" _What about a bribe?_ " Fuyuhiko posited. Peko pondered that as well.

" _It's... possible. But it's also possible that the Minamoto did correctly go through the procedures_." Peko said, as Hajime also came to that realization.

" _That would mean that they planned this a while ago_." Hajime realized.

 _"But that would mean their little 'compromise' was bullshit. They planned for this possibility,_ " Fuyuhiko grunted angrily as he clenched his fist. Hajime felt like he was punched in the gut. He thought he had fought valiantly for Natsumi, but in the end the Minamoto clan was getting what they wanted from the start.

" _Do not blame yourself, Hajime_ " Peko said, comfortingly. " _In any negotiation, one does not play all their cards on the tabe at once. But you did force them to use their secondary plan and you did help Natusmi._ "

Hajime appreciated her consolation, but it didn't help much to life his mood.

" _Thanks Peko, but I'm not done yet. We are still gonna fight this thing, no matter what. Right?_ " He proclaimed, as he looked at Fuyuhiko and Peko. They both nodded.

" _Fuck yeah, we are. For now, you'll have to keep an eye on this guy. Make sure he doesn't do anything shady._ " Fuyuhiko said, placing his hand on Hajime's shoulder. _"I want you to promise that, whatever happens, you'll keep Natsumi safe._ "

Hajime locked eyes with Fuyuhiko. The way the young gangster looked at him was far different than when they had first met. There was a deeper sense of respect and trust. Hajime could feel that aura coming from Peko as well, as she nodded at him. He knew in that moment that there was no turning back.

" _I promise_."


	5. Chapter 5

The following week trudged by. Hajime was seeing less and less of Natsumi after school. She was spending more time at the pool or hanging out with Aiko. While in class she continued to give Hideki the silent treatment. She had erected a brick wall of contempt and indifference between her and the young gentleman and it wasn't showing any signs of falling.

Once again, the three of them found themselves at the lunch table. Natsumi grumpily shoveled food into her mouth while Hideki chatted with Hajime. Hideki had already finished the box lunch that Eri had delivered to him. He sipped his hot, black coffee and set it down on the table.

 _"You know, I've been thinking. We need something to break the ice,"_ he said with determination. Natsumi didn't even acknowledge him.

 _"What do you mean?"_ Hajime asked, curiously.

"O _ur clans are uniting under one banner, and that's how it's gonna be from now on. We are all going to be associates. So, like it or not, we're stuck with each other. And it's not just the three of us, but also Fuyuhiko, Pekoyama, and Eri. We all represent the next generation of Yakuza._ "

" _So, what are you suggesting exactly?_ " Hajime asked.

" _We can start off simple. Perhaps, we could all go check out at the mall together._ "

" _What are you, a teenage girl?_ " Natsumi injected, snidely before going back to eating her food. Hideki once again let the insult just breeze by. It was a rather flaccid insult seeing as Natsumi herself was also a teenage girl.

" _Come on, Natsumi..._ " Hajime mumbled, urging her to be a bit more gracious.

 _"It's fine. To tell you the truth, I don't keep up on what other people my age are into, these days. My own experiences have been a little bit different. So I welcome any advice I can get on the matter_ "

Natsumi just glared down at her food. ( _You… sickeningly cordial fuck_ ) she thought.

" _I don't think its a bad idea, honestly. The Akutagawa Mall isn't too far away and it's super popular. It's one of the best malls in Japan, from what I hear_ ," Hajime suggested

" _Sounds good. We're off school tomorrow. If Fuyuhiko and Pekoyama are free, then we're all set,_ " Hideki glowed excitedly.

Natsumi sighed and furrowed her brow in annoyance.

" _Whatever.._ " she grumbled and stormed off.

Hideki rested his head on his hand and sighed with a wry smile.

" _I understand why she's like this. I get it. Her attitude is perfectly rational._ "

Hajime looked away, unsure of what to say.

" _I'm sure you share the same sentiments as her, but you're just too much of a nice guy to say it,_ " he said, casting a sly grin at Hajime.

Hajime backed away slightly and raised his hands in protest.

" _No, I don't, really. I don't have anything against you. None of this is your fault anyway,_ " Hajime explained, awkwardly. Hideki crossed his arms and nodded understandingly.

" _In the end, we are just chess pieces in a game. And the game is much bigger than either of us. They shuffle us around and they even sacrifice their pieces when they see fit. There is nothing we can do about that. But let's try to make the best of this situation. Let's try to have a good time tomorrow_."

" _Of course_ " Hajime responded, with a nod. He was starting to feel the traces of a bond between him and this young Yakuza prince.

The Akutagawa Mall was known for being one of the most sprawling and impressive shopping centers in Japan. It was partially indoors and partially outdoors. The indoor area had a large sunroof that ran throughout, that showered the area with natural light. The mall was filled with young people from the numerous high schools and colleges that surrounded the area. There were stores for every niche and every fashion. Hajime had never been to it before, despite its close proximity to Hope's Peak. It wasn't as if he didn't have the sare money. He was being well paid as Natsumi's confidant, but he was a naturally fruegel spender. Malls were not really his scene. However, he was actually looking forward to getting everyone together. It was surreal for him, as he was always somewhat of a loner, throughout his life. Now his circle of friends had grown quite substantially.

Hajime, Natsumi, Fuyuhiko, Peko, Hideki, and Eri all stepped through the main entrance and were greeted by a wonderland of stores and busy shoppers. It was difficult to decide where to begin.

Eri looked pale and queasy. She grabbed onto the sleeve of the person closest to her, which happened to be Hajime. She looked at the ground, fighting off nausea. Hajime was taken of guard and he looked at the tomboy with concern.

" _Um. Eri? Are you feeling ok_?" He asked her and she looked up at him dizzyingly.

" _Crowds…. I fucking hate crowds. Why the hell did I agree to this?_ " She grumbled. Natsumi glared at the girl and crossed her arms.

" _You're the one who insisted on coming. So don't start bitching now_." She sneered. Eri glared back at her with contempt.

" _Are you agoraphobic Eri?_ " Hajime asked, as the girl straightened herself and tried to regain some level of composure.

" _A gory what? Sorry. I don't speak nerd,_ " the girl snapped. Hajime's previous sympathy had pretty much faded at that point. He looked around at the others who seemed just as lost as he was. None of them knew where to start.

" _You know, this place is pretty massive. Maybe it would be best if we split up and look around a bit_."

Peko nodded in agreement. " _Yes. We will be able to efficiently cover more ground that way. And we will be able to get a more accurate lay of the land_."

" _Geez, Peko. You make it sound like some kind of military operation or something._ " Fuyuhiko sighed. " _Well, how are we gonna divide up?_ "

Hajime thought for a moment. There were six of them, so that meant they could go in two groups of three or three groups of two. He looked over at Natsumi. More than anything, he wanted to spend some time with her. However, doing so might really complicate things.

" _Uh.. Fuyuhiko? Do you want to pair up?_ " Hajime asked the short gangster. Natsumi had a look of surprise on her face and then one of disappointment.

 _"Me? Really? Uh, sure I guess,_ " he said, sliding his hands into his pockets, eyeing Hajime with a raised eyebrow.

Eri was the next to speak up. " _Hideki is with me! I didn't come to hang out with any of you jagoffs._ " she blurted out. Her face was still sickly pale.

" _You can barely stand, idiot_ " Natsumi shrewdly remarked, crossing her arms. Eri's eyes lit up with anger and she clenched her fist.

" _Oh really? How about we go fist-to-cuffs and see who's still standing_?" she threatened, even though it was clear that she was in a weakened state.

" _As long as you don't call it that. You can "go fist to cuffs" and I'll just beat your ass,_ " Natsumi shot back, haughtily.

" _Calm it down, ladies. Natsumi is right, Eri. Right now you really need to rest,_ " Hideki said, placing his hand on her shoulder. " _Peko, can you watch over her?_ " he asked the silver haired girl, who reacted with surprise.

 _"Oh. I suppose I could,_ " she responded with a nod. She took Eri's arm to help keep her from falling over.

" _B-but..._ " Eri trailed off, looking at the floor and clenching her fist. She was so angry that she felt like crying, but she held it in.

" _I guess that just leaves us, Natsumi_ ," Hideki remarked, turning to the blonde haired girl, but she was already storming off on her own.

" _Fat chance!_ " she scoffed, with her nose in the air. She quickly disappeared into the churning crowd.

 _"I suppose I should have expected that_." Hideki said with a chuckle. " _I guess I'll head out on my own too. I'll see you guys later,_ " he said, turning from them and waving nonchalantly. Hajime sighed and placed his palm on his forehead. What a disaster this was turning out to be. The current arrangement made nobody happy and defeated the whole purpose of the trip. With mild dejection, Hajime and Fuyuhiko set off to explore the mall.

" _That was a pussy move, back there._ " Fuyuhiko muttered, as he nudged Hajime's ribs.

" _What are you talking about?_ " Hajime asked, looking down at the young gangster.

" _If you wanted to go with Natsumi, you could have. Are you even trying anymore?_ "

Hajime felt his stomach drop. Fuyuhiko was entirely right. He had entirely caved.

" _That would just create conflict. Plus, wouldn't that just make me look more insecure?_ "

" _Uh, I don't know. But that's probably not what Natsumi was thinking, you goddamn idiot._ "

Hajime didn't really have anything to say in response to that. A few moments later, something caught Fuyuhiko's eye. It was a huge candy shop. His eyes locked on it and he felt it pulling him towards it. He felt of a twinge of embarrassment and turned to Hajime.

" _Look, man. I'm not gonna do your thinking for you. You need to re-evaluate your approach. Got it?_ " He said, in a castigating tone. " _Anyway, I'm gonna head out on my own. We'll meet up later_."

That was the last thing Fuyuhiko said, before abandoning Hajime. He stood there for a moment, as the crowd traffic swirled in both directions around him. He reluctantly set off on his own. It seemed rather pointless to have come all this way, only to end up exploring the mall by himself, but perhaps he could find some new clothes. He could try to find something that Natsumi would be impressed by.

Hajime found himself in a store that sold formal and business suits. He wanted to find something a bit more serious, perhaps a bit more edgy or gangster like. He never had a particular eye for fashion, but he could fill a suit. He picked out a few coats and some dress pants, before heading to the dressing room.

Hajime took off his collared shirt, revealing the undershirt he wore underneath. He slipped on a grey business coat. It was a slim fit, but the shoulders were a tad bulky. He put it on the hanger and looked for a different one to try on.

There was a knock on the dressing room door.

" _Occupied_ ," he door was locked anyway.

There was a brief pause and in a flash, the fragile door ripped open, splintering the wood around the deadbolt. Hajime turned around in shock, and in mere moments he was decked in the face. A large man in a black hoodie and a black ski-mask reached down and yanked Hajime to his feet, bending his arm behind his back, painfully and pressing a gloved hand over Hajime's mouth.

Another man, in similar attire, though a bit skinnier than the other, approached Hajime, flicking out a silver butterfly knife. He held it up to Hajime's face. The fine tip was pointing was mere inches from his eyes.

" _Not a sound, if you want to live,_ " the man spoke calmly as the other man held Hajime tightly.

( _Who the hell are these guys?_ ) Hajime asked himself as his heart pounded in his chest. This was bad. No one knew where he was and he had no way of contacting the others.

The man let go of his mouth and the other one lowered his knife.

" _Where is Natsumi Kuzuryu?_ " The man asked, as chills went up Hajime's spine.

" _W-what do you want with her? Who are you?_ " he asked, before the man clamped his hand over his mouth again.

" _Every time you fail to answer the question, you will lose a finger,_ " he said, as he grabbed Hajime's left hand, holding it up. He gripped it tightly and latched onto his ring finger. Pulling it straight.

Hajime's eyes lit up and he struggled against the burly man holding him in place. His eyes watered and he made muffled yells as the man brought the knife to his finger. The blade was sharpened to perfection. As soon as it touched his skin it already began to draw blood. The man smirked as he made a slow sawing motion, slicing through the dermal layer of his flesh. Blood streamed down his arm as Hajime grit his teeth in pain. Tears rolled down his cheeks.

Suddenly, there was a loud, thunderous thud as something impacted the back of the man's head causing him to release his grip on Hajime's hand. The man turned around to see Fuyuhiko, standing poised, ready to fight. The young gangster had his trusty pair of brass knuckles on his right hand. He had landed a direct blow to the man's skull.

" _I don't know who you bastards are, but you are going to regret fucking with us_!" He snarled in the most intimidating voice he could muster. The two men towered over him and the one he had punched was barely even phased by it. Fuyuhiko was obviously outmatched, but he refused to back down. Hajime looked at him wide eyed. He tried to tell him to get out of there and get help, but he wasn't able to communicate that to the young gangster.

" _Ah. Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu. What a nice surprise_ ," the man said with a smirk, as he flipped the knife around in his hand, returning it to a folded position. He slipped it into his pocket and instead bared his fists. " _Wanna play with the big boys, huh?_ " The thug said as he took a step towards Fuyuhiko.

The young gangster threw a punch at the man's face which was easily dodged. The man landed a punch squarely in fuyuhiko's gut and sent him flying back against the wall. Before he could even recover, the man caught Fuyuhiko with a right hook to the jaw with force that Fuyuhiko had never imagined. It sent him to the floor, where he received a swift kick in the ribs.

" _Don't go too far. Remember, he isn't our target_." The other man warned, still holding Hajime in a chokehold.

" _I know that. I'm not gonna kill him. But… his lackey on the other hand. I'm sure he will be an acceptable casualty,_ " the man sneered, gesturing towards Hajime. Fuyuhiko's eyes lit up with anger as he still clutched his side.

" _You… fuckers… I'm not finished with you-_ " he seethed, before the man brought his shoe down, kicking Fuyuhiko in the face. The cruel man kept his shoe on Fuyuhiko's head, pushing his face against the carpeted floor. Fuyuhiko grunted in pain as he felt like his head was going to be crushed.

The man just looked down and chuckled at the bloodied young Yakuza. He then walked over to Hajime, whipping out his knife.

" _It's unprofessional to put business before pleasure, but this won't take long,_ " he said in a calm, but sadistic voice. As he brought his blade closer to Hajime's face, his arm was suddenly grabbed from behind.

Fuyuhiko clutched the man's wrist tightly. His face was bruised and his nose was bleeding.

" _I said, i'm not finished with you yet, prick!_ " He grunted, as he attempted to loosen the knife from the man's hand. The man jerked around, but Fuyuhiko refused to let go. In the scuffle, the man's black glove began to loosen and for brief moment, Hajime was able to see the tattoos beneath. He only got a partial view, but he could see that it had many sharp, triangular angles. Perhaps it was some kind of flower or lotus.

The man was finally able to shake off Fuyuhiko and he grabbed the young man by the neck, choking him. The man's strength was far superior and Fuyuhiko could only clutch at his hand in desperation.

" _I warned you to stay down, boy. It looks like I have to teach you a lesson,_ " he said, as he slammed Fuyuhiko against the wall. His hand pressed over Fuyuhiko's mouth and jaw and pinned him against the wall. He held his knife inches in front of Fuyuhiko's right eye.

 _"I think he would look good with an eyepatch. Don't you agree?_ " he asked his partner, who still held Hajime fast.

" _Yeah. I think it would look rather dashing. You'd be doing him a favor,_ " he said with a sadistic smirk as Fuyuhiko tried to wrestle free. Hajime stared wide eyed and struggled with all his might to pull himself free. He couldn't let this happen. Anger and despair welled inside him as the man brought the sinister knife closer and closer to Fuyuhiko's eye.

Without warning, the man stopped in his tracks. He reached up to his ear and pressed down on an earpiece hidden under the mask..

" _Yes, alpha-4 here… Is that so?... Rodger… We are on our way,_ " he said, before turning to make eye contact with his partner. They both exchanged nods. The man holding Fuyuhiko gave him a wry smirk. He let go of the young gangster, who sank to the floor, still in shock. The other guy finally released his grip on Hajime, before grabbing him by hair and slamming him head first into the mirror of the changing room, causing it to crack. Hajime fell to the floor, bleeding profusely from the forehead and from the deep wound on his hand.

The two men quickly departed as quickly as they had appeared, leaving the boys, without any parting words. In such a brief moment, It was all over. Hajime's heart was about to jump out of his chest. Adrenaline and terror still flowed through his body. His hand shook uncontrollably.

Hajime clutched his head painfully.

"Fuyuhiko! Are you alright?" He asked, as Fuyuhiko was even more beaten up than he was. Blood poured from his nose and mouth and he had taken severe blows to his ribs and stomach.

" _Of course i'm alright… But who were those assholes? Did they say anything to you?_ " Fuyuhiko asked, as his whole head was ringing with pain. He managed to sit up on the floor and he turned his head to the side to spit out some blood.

" _I don't know, but they said they're after Natsumi, I have to stop them!_ " Hajime said, standing up and recollecting himself. He turned around and was preparing to set out, when Fuyuhiko stopped him.

" _Wait, Hajime. Don't be an idiot. We need to call in backup and get the others to help. You can't take those guys on your own. You are gonna get yourself killed,_ " Fuyuhiko warned, grabbing onto Hajime's shoulder.

" _I know that, but we don't have any time. I'm going to find Natsumi before they do and get her out of here. Call the others and inform them about the situation._ "

Fuyuhiko looked at him with surprise. He was impressed that Hajime was able to formulate a plan so quickly under pressure. There was a look of trust and respect in his eyes as he placed his hand on Hajime's shoulder.

" _Sounds like a plan. Go find my sister and get her out of here_."

Hajime dashed through the crowds and whipped out his phone. He went to dial the shortcut call Natsumi, but before he could press the button, the phone already began ringing. The ID of the caller was "Natsumi." His heart dropped and dread filled every corner of his body. He answered the phone as quickly as possible.

" _Natsumi! Are you alright?_ " He yelled over the crowd as he used his finger to plug his other ear. He could hear Natsumi panting on the other end of the line.

" _H-hajime... You need to get out of here,_ " she whispered.

" _What is going on? Where are you?_ " Hajime asked frantically.

" _There are these guys... They've got weapons. I don't know who they are. I'm hiding right now. Hideki is with me. But there are too many of them_."

" _Where are you? I'm going to come get you_."

" _No, Hajime! It's too dangerous. Just tell the others and call the police. Don't do anything stupid. I'll be fine._ "

Hajime felt his blood run cold. Natsumi was in more danger than she had ever been and he felt so powerless to stop it. He clenched his fist and spoke calmly into the phone.

" _Tell me where you are, Natsumi!_ " He repeated, insistently. Natsumi gritted her teeth in anger and frustration. Just then, Hideki grabbed the phone from her.

" _Hajime. I assure you that I can protect Natsumi, but if you really want to help, come to Daimon's Fabrics. Right now, they've got the store locked down and we can't get out. There isn't a back exit. If you can get us out, then we should be able to slip away and make our escape._ ".

" _Understood._ " Hajime said as he realized he was relatively close to the clothing store. He wasted no time in making a beeline for the store. Natsumi snatched the phone from Hideki angrily.

" _No! Hajime, stay awa-... God damnit_!" she cursed, as he had already hung up. She looked at Hideki with livid rage. Hideki just looked back at her calmly.

" _It's Hajime's job to protect you. And it's something that he wants to do. Don't deny him that._ " he castigated. Natsumi bit her lip angrily and held back from crying.

" _If he dies. I will never forgive you!_ " She said with a glare

" _Oh come on. You never liked me anyway_."

Hajime made a quick detour before making his way to the clothing store. Like Hideki said, the men had closed and locked the metal gate that protected the shop entrance. Inside, the two men from before, along with two others were searching for their targets. Natsumi and Hideki had managed to slip around them and hide under the front desk, alongside a bound and gagged store clerk. The men had already searched that area, so they didn't think to look there again, at least not yet. At the moment, three of the armed thugs were in the back, tearing apart the storage area. Only one of the men was still keeping watch over the main store.

Hajime carried a large object in a brown bag. He had to spend a pretty penny on it, at the sports store. It was worth it. He approached the window of the shop and pulled out a large, blue bowling ball. He held it with two hands. Some people in the crowd watched him in confusion as he spun around and hurled it at one of the shop windows of Daimon's Fabrics. The glass shattered in a shockwave, making a deafeningly loud noise and temporarily silencing the crowd. The thug looked up in shock and rushed over towards Hajime before being unexpectedly slugged in the face by Hideki.

Hideki then grabbed Natsumi's hand and ran with her towards the newly created exit. They didn't have time to exchange any words as they ran headlong into the crowd, bumping into people as they ran. Hideki was especially forceful in shoving people out of their way.

The other men were in close pursuit, but were impeded by the crowd. One of them whipped out a 9mm Handgun and pointed it straight up in the air, firing off three successive shots. There were screams as the crowd began to split down the middle. Citizens darted into stores and cleared a path as the men chased down the teens.

Hajime looked back over his shoulder. The men were gaining on them and fast. Their cardio strength outpaced all three of them, despite Hideki and Hajime's regular running, and Natsumi's swimming experience. These weren't common thugs. It was increasingly clear that these were professionals.

" _This way_!" Hajime called out they turned a corner. He could see an exit sign at the back of one of a manga shop. They dashed inside and burst through the door. Unfortunately, the door didn't lead directly outside. They were in a long corridor that ran along all the stores on this wing of the mall. This corridor led to the various storage areas and break rooms, but also the numerous exits and emergency escapes. Hajime locked the door behind them. They all stopped for a moment to catch their breath.

" _That was great, back there Hajime. That was some good thinking_." Hideki said, placing a hand on Hajime's shoulder. Hajime was still panting and he smiled humbly.

" _Oh, it was nothing. You did way more to protect Natsumi_."

Hideki turned to Natsumi and smirked smugly.

" _See? I told you that it would all be fine. Hajime knows what he's doing._ " He said, glibly. Natsumi just scoffed. But then she glanced over at Hajime. She hadn't had time to notice before, but was covered blood. Especially his face and his hand. It was clear that he had been roughed up.

" _H-hajime! What the hell happened to you?! You're bleeding everywhere!_ " Natsumi exclaimed, rushing up to him. Hideki also examined his finger wound.

" _Looks like they cut you to the bone. You really need to get to a hospital. In fact, we all need to get out of here. I'll text the others and tell them to meet us in the parking lot_." He said, as the rest of them nodded in agreement. They hurried to the exit and found themselves outside. It was already chaotic. People were still pouring out of the mall.

" _Where is our ride?_ " Natsumi asked, annoyed. Before she could get an answer, Hideki grabbed both her and Hajime.

" _Get down!_ " He yelled as he tugged them behind a parked car. A flurry of bullet-fire rained down on them. Two of the men from before held MP4s and were lighting up the car with gunfire. The teens were pinned down.

The windows of the car they were hiding behind, as well as the surrounding cars burst like fireworks, raining shards of glass all over the place. While they were kept under fire, a third man approached the car. He took his time, as he knew the three of them had no way of escaping. They were completely trapped. As he stepped around the car. He pulled out a silver handgun from his coat pocket.

This was it. Hajime knew that if he didnt act now, they were all going to die. Their backs were against the wall and death was staring them in the face. His legs carried him without even thinking. He charged the man with a handgun. He grabbed the gun and tried to wrestle it from the man's hands. The man was far stronger than Hajime. The battle was not even close. The man jerked his arm away and pistol whipped Hajime in the face. Sending him to the ground.

Hajime looked up at the masked man, who simply aimed the gun down at his body. With a cold gaze, the man pulled the trigger.

Hajime closed his eyes and Natsumi screamed out his name as the hammer fell. Then, there was nothing. There was no bang. Nothing happened at all. The man looked down at his gun in confusion. Was the bullet a dud? The man cursed and tossed the semi automatic handgun aside and delivered a deafening kick to Hajime's face. He stepped over the boy and instead fixed his gaze upon Natsumi. He reached down to his belt and pulled out a revolver, a gun much less prone to failure. He pulled the hammer back. He aimed it squarely at Natsumi.

Before he could pull the trigger, Hideki positioned himself between him and her, outstretching both his arms. The man's gaze locked with Hideki's. Natsumi looked at Hideki in shock. Hajime was still trying to pull himself off the ground as he looked up. For what felt like an eternity, nobody moved. The sounds of sirens could be heard approaching from the distance. The man lowered his pistol and ran off to join the other attackers.

A black van screeched seemingly out of nowhere and the four men entered the back of it, before it peeled off. Blue and red lights danced across the parking lot, as armed law enforcement arrived on scene. It was only moments later that Peko, Fuyuhiko, and Eri met up with them. Hajime lay on his back on the hard pavement and placed his hand over his face in relief.

It was finally over.


	6. Chapter 6

It had been a week since the attack on Natsumi's life. It sent waves through the Yakuza world. Both the Kuzuryu and Minamoto clans were gravely unsettled by the events. Their strained relationship was nearing the breaking point. Murmurs of insurrection and war, were beginning to weave their way through both clans. The leaders were determined to minimize the event, in order to quell the growing, inner turmoil. This was difficult, due to the fact that it had sparked intense media interest.

The Kuzuryu-gumi attempted to leverage their connections in the media in order to shift focus away from the violent attack, and disassociate it from the Yakuza. Media outlets were pressured to characterize it as a "robbery gone wrong." However, cell phone footage taken by the mall patrons painted a different story. The videos sparked conspiratorial analysis on social media and it became a viral sensation. A new public interest in the Yakuza began to emerge among the youth.

After careful determination, both clans agreed that they would not allow the mall attack to derail their plans. They would continue as if it had never happened, while secretly heightening security and a conducting a cooperative investigation the attacks. This meant that the originally scheduled hot springs trip was to continue as planned. This would include the Yakuza teens as well as many higher ranking members of both clans.

Hajime stared listlessly out the window as the black Nissan traversed the curving roads. It winded numerous sharp corners on its way up the mountain. The woodlands around them were as dense as they were ancient. Hajime had a lot on his mind, but the view was certainly soothing. He glanced over at Hideki, who was in the seat beside him. Natsumi had opted to ride in one of the other cars, along with Peko and Fuyuhiko. Somehow, Hajime had ended up alone with the enigmatic young yakuza.

Eri Kusakari was tasked with driving the car, as she had recently attained her license and had undergone strict driving lessons. She begrudgingly agreed, despite the fact she would much rather be in the back, talking with hideki. Throughout the whole ride, scarcely a word had been exchanged between Hajime and Hideki. It was Hideki who finally broke a long silence.

" _This place is pretty out of the way. But trust me. It'll be worth it,_ " he assured Hajime, taking notice of his boredom and restlessness. Hajime still gazed out the window.

" _Whatever you say,_ " he muttered shortly in response. Hideki didn't take offense to Hajime's opaque attitude.

 _"Seclusion is sort of the point of a hot spring, isn't it? They're best enjoyed when they are in a remote location like this. You really get to connect with nature more. Plus, I can't stand tourists_."

" _I guess that makes sense,_ " Hajime sighed glumly, still gazing out the window. Despite Hideki's attempts at small talk, Hajime's mind was fixated on the previous week's events. Those men tried to kill Natsumi, and Hajime was powerless against them. It was only sheer luck they all survived. If he couldn't protect her against threats like that, what use was he as a bodyguard or as a boyfriend?

He glanced over at Hideki, who sat casually. Even when relaxing, he had poise and an aura of strength. How was Hajime supposed to compare to that? By all accounts, Hideki was the kind of guy that Natsumi actually belonged with.

" _You know, my forefathers would always visit this same hot spring after a serious battle. It's a tradition that goes back over 1000 years_."

Hajime wasn't thrilled with getting an unsolicited history lesson from Hideki, but it was somewhat helpful to know. Hajime honestly felt like he was in a war, in more ways than one. Perhaps he needed some time to retreat and rebuild his morale. However, with Hideki tagging along and putting the moves on Natsumi, his mind was unlikely to be at ease during this trip.

" _You are still thinking about what happened at the mall, aren't you?_ " Hideki asked, as if reading Hajime's mind. Of course, it didn't take a psychic to come to that conclusion. The physical wounds that Hajime had received were still present. He still had a minor cut on his forehead. His finger wound had three stitches and was still wrapped in white gauze.

Hajime didn't make much of an effort to respond. Hideki crossed his arms and nodded understandably.

" _This incident has done alot to tear down the trust that our clans have been building, the past few years. But I don't want the same thing to happen to us. I want to be perfectly honest with you, Hajime. That's what friends do._ " He said, earnestly. Hajime turned to him and looked him in the eyes to make sure the young gangster was sincere.

" _Do you know anything about what happened?_ " Hajime inquired seriously.

" _I don't know anything for sure, but I have a theory of my own. You probably think that this was committed by members of my clan... and you're probably right._ "

Hajime was shocked by this open admission, as Hideki expected him to be.

" _There are members of The Minamoto clan that are not in favor of this engagement. They see it as an act of surrender to the Kuzuryu-gumi. Now, none of these men will come forward and say this openly. Defiance is not really tolerated in my family. But there are still whispers and rumors. And it's possible that some of them have actually banded together and are planning to put a stop to this marriage by any means necessary._ "

Hajime put his hand to his chin, as he pondered over this. If this was the case, Natsumi would be in constant danger until these men were stopped, or until the marriage was called off.

" _Don't you think there are members of the Kuzuryu who feel the same way?_ " Hajime inquired.

" _Oh, I'm sure there are, but I don't think they were involved in this attack. There are many pieces of evidence that point to my clan. For example, how they refused to kill me. When I jumped in front of Natsumi, it wasn't an act of sacrifice on my part. At that point I had already deduced that these men wouldn't harm me. I was simply putting my theory to the test. I was in no real danger, but Natsumi was_."

" _I'm still grateful for what you did. If it weren't for you, Natsumi wouldn't be here._ "

Hajime wouldn't let Hideki minimize his own bravery. Credit had to be given where it was due. Natsumi owed her life to him.

" _To be honest, you're far braver than I am, Hajime. They could have easily killed you without a second thought, but retreating never crossed your mind._ "

Hajime blushed slightly." _I was just doing my job_ ," he said humbly, trying to dismiss the compliment. Hideki smiled in amusement and genuine admiration. However, inwardly, Hajime invoked a totally different emotion from the young Yakuza.

Pity

At long last, they reached the lodge. The caravan pulled up to a large gate, surrounded by an ancient stone wall, that had to be hundreds of years old. There were armed guards that flagged the vehicles, one by one, through the gate. The SUVs and sedans pulled began pulling into a gravel parking area. Hajime exited the vehicle and stretched his legs and back. The air was thinner and it was 20 degrees colder than it was at the base of the mountain. Eri also hopped out of the front, wearing sunglasses and donning a white tank top and tight black pants. She munched on some gum and spat it on the ground.

" _No littering, Eri. Mind your manners, alright?_ " Hideki said in a stentorian tone. Eir blushed angrily and babbled in response.

" _Wha? But… I…._ " She let out a defeated sigh." _Alright,_ " she muttered. The stubborn tomboy seemed to instantly cave in when Hideki was involved. Hajime wanted to chuckle, but didn't want to get punched.

The other vehicles all unloaded their passengers. They each contained a handful of Kuzuryu and Minamoto officials, along with their armed escorts. Fuyuhiko, Peko and Natsumi approached Hajime.

" _So, this is it, huh? I'm not too impressed,_ " Fuyuhiko muttered, as Hideki politely smiled in response.

" _It doesn't look like much from the outside, but it's actually pretty big, and there's even a ballroom. It's as luxurious as hot springs get_."

" _Whatever. If you've seen one you've seen em all,_ " Fuyuhiko scoffed as they all made their way inside. As Hajime expected, the place had a distinct, rustic aesthetic. It was old fashioned and rigorously symmetric in its architecture. It had the same atmosphere as the Minamoto estate.

Hajime gazed at the surroundings and really took them in. Natsumi grew a little annoyed at this. She nudged him in the side.

" _Stop gawking like a tourist,_ " she muttered. Hajime regained his focus and felt a little ashamed for letting himself get distracted. Right now he needed to be focusing on one thing, and that was protecting Natsumi from whatever threats could be around the corner.

Coincidentally, as he turned a corner he ran smack into a much larger man. Hajime's face collided with the man's lower pectorals and as Hajime stumbled back, he saw that the man was a mountain of muscle. He was at least six and a half feet tall and was built like an ox. He was the largest Japanese man that Hajime had ever seen, and looked to be part European. His plus-sized suit seemed to barely contain his musculature. His hair was buzzed, though he wasn't quite bald. He had a stern, brick-like expression on his face. Hajime felt the blood drain from his face. He was speechless, but the man quickly spoke first.

 _"Pardon me. I should pay more attention to where I am walking. I hope I did not cause you harm,"_ the man spoke in a polite but booming voice. It was the most terrifying apology that Hajime had ever received.

 _"Uh… Its cool,"_ Hajime mumbled meekly. Just at that moment, Eri turned the corner and her eyes lit up.

 _"Yo! Naga-San! How's it hangin?"_ She called out with a wide grin as she approached the man.

 _"I am doing well, Miss Eri."_ The man responded, looking down at the spunky teen girl.

 _"You two know each other?"_ Hajime asked, still a bit a tense.

 _"Of course we do. Nagakura here, is the Minamoto clan's head of security."_ She boasted proudly, pointing at him with her thumb.

 _"And who might you be, sir?_ " he asked, turning to Hajime.

 _"Oh! I'm Hajime Hinata,"_

" _I see. So you're Mr. Hinata..._ _I would like to assure you that security of this facility is unparalleled. There will be no repetition of the Akutagawa incident,_ " He said to Hajime in absolute conviction.

 _"Uh, cool…"_ Hajime responded awkwardly.

 _"Well then, If you will excuse me, Miss Eri and Mr. Hinata. I have business to attend to,"_ the large man said with a bow as he turned and departed.

Eri shot Hajime a smug look and gave his arm a punch, that almost knocked Hajime over and gave him a painful jolt.

" _Man, you need to grow a pair. It looked like you were about to piss yourself back there,_ " she jeered at him.

 _"Ow! Watch it!"_ Hajime winced." _I wasn't scared! I was just... being respectful."_

" _Well, you should be at least a little scared. Nagakura is a good guy, but if you ever threaten the Minamoto family he will rip your fucking head off. And I don't mean that figuratively..."_ She said, leaning in to whisper, _"He's done it."_

With that, the girl sauntered off. Hajime gulped and felt his own neck with his hands.

 _(I'll remember that)_

They finally arrived at their rooms, which were separated by gender. Their luggage had been delivered ahead of time and was waiting in the center of the room, for them to unpack. They began to rustle through their belongings. Hajime and Fuyuhiko were quiet. They didn't say a word to one another. The room was uncomfortably quiet. There was an air of caution and suspicion in the air.

A smirk crossed Hideki's lips.

" _I know this may seem like a run-of-the-mill hot spring, but we actually have a lot of cool traditions and activities. There's drinking games, sauna endurance contests, and also the contest of blood,_ " he said casually. Hajime and Fuyuhiko just looked up at him, quizzically.

" _Huh?_ " they asked, simultaneously.

" _No one told you? There's a long running tradition that goes back for generations. Every year, at one of these gatherings, two able bodies men are randomly chosen to duel against one another_ ," he said, as Fuyuhiko and Hajime exchanged worried glances with one another.

 _"A duel? What are you talking about"_ Hajime asked, with a nervous gulp.

" _A duel to the death, of course. A killing game, of sorts. Both participants engage in a knife fight and the winner is granted honor and a prestigious place in the Minamoto clan hierarchy. The loser…. Well…. If they don't die in combat, they commit seppuku._ " He said, with a casual smile.

Fuyuhiko nearly jumped out of his skin as he rushed over and grabbed Hideki by the collar.

 _"No one told us about this! What kind of fucked up tradition is that!?_ " he exclaimed.

" _Relax. Your chances of being chosen to participate are very low. Don't worry about it._ " Hideki responded smugly.

" _What the fuck are you talking about? I'm not playing any kind of crazy ass killing game! Are you out of your mind?_ " he asked as Hajime also had gone pale, struggling to comprehend what he had just been told.

Then Hideki just chuckled. The two of them looked at him in confusion, as he burst out laughing, craning his head back.

" _What the fuck is so funny?_ " Fuyuhiko grunted angrily through his teeth.

" _Just your faces. You guys actually thought I was being serious?_ " he said with a smirk.

Fuyuhiko blushed furiously and Hajime didn't even know how to react.

 _"The contest of blood hasn't been practiced in 50 years. We just have a Kabuki reenactment of it. That's it."_

" _So you were just trying to screw with us?_ " Fuyuhiko snarled angrily. Hideki then suddenly put his arms around each of the other boys.

" _Look, fellas. I'm not stupid. I can see that the both of you are still on edge and that you don't trust my clan. But I promise you. Nothing is gonna happen to you here. No one here is out to get you, and this place is under super tight security. So, the point is, you guys here to relax. Stop being so goddamn paranoid, ok?_ " he said, as the two other teens still looked somewhat uneasy. Fuyuhiko shook off Hideki's arm, stubbornly.

" _How about we hit the springs, before things get crowded._ " Hideki suggested, patting both of them on the shoulder. The other two cautiously agreed.

" _Yeah, I would rather not have to share the springs with a bunch of crotchety old fucks_ ," Fuyuhiko grumbled.

Hideki couldn't help but be amused by the irreverence that Fuyuhiko displayed towards the Yakuza leaders and executives. Hajime was actually somewhat eager to check out the springs. For now, he would take Hideki's advice. If he didn't, his stress was going to completely consume him.

The three young men arrived at the springs, wearing their Yukatas. Hajime and Fuyuhiko quickly disrobed and placed their clothes in lockers. They stepped out and got their first glimpse of the open air onsen. The venue was surrounded by a large wooden stake fence. They had a stunning view of the stars above and the entire area had an otherworldly aura to it. A haze of steam flowed from the hot water, condensing in the crisp, cool air. There were three large fountains, shaped like Koi fish, with water flowing from their O-shaped mouths.

Hajime and Fuyuhiko slipped into the springs. Hajime gingerly inched his way into the water. It was just hot enough to invoke discomfort and pain at first, but once he eased into it, it was heavenly. He was shrouded in a warm, comforting embrace that seemed to sap all of his stress and negativity away.

The sound of footsteps on the stone floor grew closer. Hajime glanced up and had to do a double take, as he saw Hideki approaching them. There were multiple reasons for this. For one, Hideki was far more muscular and ripped than he had estimated. He was in excellent shape. However, that was less shocking than another thing that Hajime noticed.

The young man's upper body was covered in dark ink. Ghoulish figures danced their way all over his chest and wrapping around to his back. The tattoos bore a distinct theme. They displayed a thick, twisted forest. Dancing through the trees were numerous ghostly figures with tusked, white Oni masks. The figures clutched daggers and their eyes seemed to burn into Hajime's soul as he gazed at them. Hideki's whole back was covered and so was his chest. There was only a single stripe of bare skin that ran down the middle of his torso, which allowed the skin to breathe. His arms were also tattooed, up to mid forearms, which is why Hajime never noticed them before.

It wasn't long until Fuyuhiko glanced up to see the same thing. His jaw dropped as Hideki casually approached them, slipped off his towel and hopped into the water, before crouching down into the warm embrace of the water. He lift his arms at his sides and rested them on the edge of the pool behind him.

" _Ahh… this is the life, eh guys?_ " He asked before looking around to see the two of them staring at him. He chuckled to himself. " _Oh yeah. This is the first time you've seen my tattoos, isn't it? I guess I forgot to mention them_."

" _Wha…. what the hell? How the hell do you have tattoos already?_ " Fuyuhiko asked in jealous shock, as even he, the so-called "Ultimate Gangster" still hadn't received his. Hajime was not even technically a full fledged member of the Kuzuryu yet and hadn't even contemplated getting tattoos yet.

" _Oh, these? I got them last year. I try not to show them off. Most people misinterpret them and get a little intimidated._ " he explained. The jealousy and feelings of inferiority were easy to read on Fuyuhiko's face as he couldn't take his eyes off of the tats. He turned away and scoffed with his typical "Tch" sound.

 _"Well, I don't know how they do things in your clan. But the Kuzuryu-gumi is way more strict with tattoos. We don't just give them out willy-nilly, like you guys do. We believe that tattoos should be earned._ "

Hideki smiled in response. _"I definitely understand where you are coming things shouldn't be taken lightly."_

Hajime was still gazing at the wild tattoos that sprawled all over Hideki's Torso.

" _So, uh… You said that people misinterpret them. What do your tattoos actually mean? I'm just curious._ " Hajime asked, circling back to Hideki's previous statements. Hideki crossed his arms and looked Hajime in the eyes.

" _Justice._ "

 _"What?"_ Hajime asked, in perplexity. It wasn't the answer he expected.

 _"They symbolize justice. What would you say the essence of justice is, Hajime?"_ He asked, as Hajime was taken off guard.

 _"I… uh… I'm not really sure, to be honest. I haven't really thought about it,"_ he said, scratching his head. He never expected to be asked to define "justice" by the heir of a criminal enterprise.

 _"Well, I can tell you the definition, as I see it. An old philosopher once said that justice is simply every person fulfilling the roles that they are suited for and staying on that path._ ** _That_** _is justice, at its core."_ Hideki explained. Hajime just looked more confused by his answer.

 _"I know it sounds like a vague and odd answer, but if you think about it, it encapsulates all other definitions of justice in society._ " As Hideki explained, Fuyuhiko grew more impatient than Hajime.

" _Whatever. Who gives a shit? What does any of that have to do with your creepy tattoos?"_

" _I'm glad you asked. So, we have already defined justice, but who enforced it? This is where the Oni or Yokai comes in. The Oni is not usually an evil entity, as many mistake them for. Looks can be deceiving. The Oni are actually enforcers of justice. They exist to punish those who stray from the their path."_ he said, as he looked into Hajime's eyes.

 _"It still seems a little…_ " Hajime trailed off, as the piercing eyes of the oni masks all seemed to be transfixed in judgement, staring him down.

 _"I know. It's a little macabre. But I find it comforting. I'd like the believe that every person gets what's coming to them, and that there are forces in the world to make sure that happens. Even if it's not actually always true."_

 _"Hmph. I thought you'd have a much cooler explanation than that."_ Fuyuhiko waved dismissively with his hand. As usual, Hideki didn't seem too offended by the derogatory attitude.

Hideki slinked his way over to Hajime and Fuyuhiko and put his arms strongly around each of them.

 _"Don't worry, Fuyuhiko. I'm sure that your tattoos will be way cooler than mine. You too, Hajime. You've definitely both got the body for it. I think you'll be real ladykillers once you get all tatted up._ "

The other two boys blushed and displayed deep discomfort at Hideki's manly roughhousing, as their bodies were all in close contact..

 _"I'm gonna "kill"_ ** _you_ **_if you don't let go of me right now!"_ Fuyuhiko fumed.

 _"Slow down there, Fuyuhiko. I'm an engaged man, and I don't know you like that."_

 _"B-bastard!"_

A splash could be heard on the other side of the wooden wall, as Eri leapt into the springs. Peko and Natsumi emerged from the girl's locker room. Peko sighed and glared at Eri.

" _The rules say that Running and jumping are prohibited!_ " she scolded. The short haired tomboy just smirked and rested her hands on the back of her head.

 _"Yeah yeah. I don't need you to tell me what to do, four eyes._ " she sneered.

Natsumi approached the water and removed her towel. She slowly slipped into the water, wincing a little at the heat. She managed to ease herself into it, deep enough so that the water was right above her breasts.

Peko did the same, and something caught Eri's eye that sent shivers up her spine. She noticed the sheer size of Peko's breasts and started to feel a twinge of deep-seated disdain. She glanced over at Natsumi, who also was noticeably womanly in her endowments. Eri glanced down at her own chest which wasn't flat, necessarily, but was woefully inadequate, in her own mind.

 _"Tch! Man, you two are quite the exehibitionists aren't you? Just flopping those things everywhere."_ She grunted angrily. Peko blushed in shock and covered herself and Natsumi just looked annoyed.

 _"You're naked too, idiot."_ she snapped, but then she noticed something that hadn't registered yet.

 _"Woah… wait a minute. Are those tattoos?"_ she asked, as she took note of the floral patterns that spread over both of Eris shoulders, down her arms and over parts of her upper chest. It displayed a series of bright pink peony flowers with gnarled vines. The tattoos were legitimately beautiful and surprisingly feminine looking, for a girl like her.

" _Hm? These? Of course they are. I'm more surprised that you guys don't have any,_ " she smirked condescendingly.

 _"We won't receive our tattoos until we are of adult age and when we actually earn them,_ " Peko said, crossing her arms.

 _"Do you think we don't? We… gotta prove ourselves. It ain't easy."_

 _"So, what's with the flowers? They're pretty girly. With those, someone might accidentally mistake you for an actual lady,"_ Natsumi shot, venomously.

 _"Better watch your mouth, princess! I don't need to take any shit from you,"_ Eri snarled. _"Also, if you knew anything about anything, you would know that peony flowers are a symbol of strength and masculinity."_

 _"Oh. So you just proved my point. Great job,"_ Natsumi sneered, with a hint of her "smug" side.

Peko sighed in exhaustion, as the two other girls had done nothing but bicker from the moment they arrived.

 _"Please, Lady Natsumi and Miss Kusakari. Try not to be so hostile towards one another. The intended purpose of these springs is to free oneself of negative emotions."_

Natsumi and Eri exchanged glances and both stubbornly turned away with an audible "hmph."

Peko eased herself lower into the warm water.

 _"I'm certain that the boys aren't arguing like this,"_ Peko sighed, as Eri suddenly jolted up and stood up in the water.

 _"Wait, are they right next door to us?"_ She exclaimed, with a serious look on her face.

Natsumi leaned against the edge of the pool and rested her arms at her sides. She averted her eyes so she didn't have to stare at Eri's bare behind.

" _Uh, yeah? So what? Are you some kind of peeping tom?_ " Natsumi interrogated in an accusatory tone. Eri crossed her arms angrily.

 _"Of course not! I would never intrude upon Hideki's privacy."_ She responded, blushing deeply as her imagination ran wild.

 _"I do wonder how their hot spring experience differs from ours,"_ Peko pondered. Eri also thought for a moment, rubbing her chin. Inspiration suddenly struck the tomboy and she pounded her fist onto her palm.

 _"I got it! You know how girls compare their bust sizes?"_

 _"Uhh, only insecure washboard bitches like you do that sort of thing,"_ Natsumi mumbled in annoyance.

 _"I bet the boys compare the size of their swords, if you know what I mean."_

Peko and Natsumi's faces lit up red and they were both speechless. Peko's mouth was agape. Eri looked back at them, as awkwardness began to well up inside her..

 _"What? It's a possibility!"_ Eri postured herself defensively.

 _"Yeah, I'm sure they're having a big old circle-jerk over there, you crazy Fujo degenerate."_ Natsumi yelled at her.

Deep, searing embarrassment filled Eri' from head to toe and was about to boil over. Truthfully, the Yakuza girl had very few interactions with other girls and spent her days around unsavory, foul mouthed Yakuza thugs. She had little tact and social skills when it came to interacting with other females.

 _"W-whatever. It's not like they would need to compare anyway. Hideki clearly would be the biggest."_

 _"Yeah, I doubt that. Arrogant big-shots like him are always compensating for something."_ Natsumi spat, scathingly. Eri's cheeks lit up with anger.

 _"This conversation is highly inappropriate. I request that we change the subject,"_ Peko spoke with a thin veneer of calmness, masking her growing annoyance.

Eri shot Natsumi a dirty look and slipped back into the water with a small splash. She pulled her legs up to her chest and sulked.

 _"You know... I really can't believe that Hideki is engaged to a disrespectful bitch like you..."_

" _Why are you so crazy about the guy? I don't get it._ " Natsumi asked in annoyance.

Eri thoughts quickly flashed back through her history. As the abandoned child of a drug addicted single mother, she spent her early years on the streets, coerced into an underground fighting circuit. She was made to fight boys and other girls for the amusement of unsavory patrons. At age 10 she escaped that life and set out on her own. It would be better to die on the streets than continue along that path. One day she found herself cornered by a group of much older thugs. Outnumbered and malnourished, the scrappy young girl had no chance. But just as she resigned herself to the trauma that was about to be inflicted on her, a young boy tackled one of the miscreants and began fighting with them. Eri did her best to join in, but the two of them were beaten bloody. They lay on the pavement, the brutes standing over them. Just in the nick of time, a group of men in suits arrived. The thugs scattered. A few of them were chased down and caught. Eri never saw what eventually happened to them, but it was probably best that she didn't. The young girl wiped away the dirt, blood, and tears from her eyes and looked up to see the boy standing over her, reaching his hand down to take hers. She had followed him ever since that day.

These other two girls couldn't possibly understand Eri's bond and admiration of the Yakuza prince. The tomboy sulked and glared at Natsumi, her brow furrowed. Natsumi could see that there were tears welling up in her eyes.

 _"There's nothing crazy about it! Hideki is a great man! You would have to be an idiot not to see that! He even risked his life to save your selfish, spoiled ass and you still treat him like shit! You have no idea what he's gone through! He fucking deserves better! He deserves better than you!_ " The girl ranted, tearfully. Natsumi was speechless.

Eri stood up and wiped her eyes with her forearm. She stormed off, grabbing a towel as she left. Natsumi looked down at the water with a troubled look on her face. It wasn't long before Peko and Natsumi retired for the night.

" _Get down, Natsumi!_ " Hajime yelled, as he darted across the parking lot. A man slowly approached, menacingly lurching his way towards Natsumi, brandishing a silver handgun. Time was in slow motion, the environment distorted with fear and chaos. Hajime grabbed onto the man's arm, attempting to wrestle the gun away. The man casually punched Hajime in the jaw and sent him tumbling to the pavement. The man smiled and brandished his weapon. He pointed it down at Hajime. Hajime could only look up at him with shock. Natsumi opened her mouth to scream, but nothing would come out. The man pulled the trigger, causing a deafening gunshot to erupt.

Natsumi gasped and sat upright on her futon. Her heart was thumping relentlessly in her chest. She had beads of perspiration on her forehead and her legs were coated in a sheen of cold sweat. The room was dark. The only illumination came from the window. Beside Natsumi, Peko slept soundly on a Tatami. Eri also slumbered on the other side of the room.

She collected herself and checked her phone. It was only midnight and she felt no inclination to go back to sleep. She sighed to herself and got out of bed. She slipped into her Yukata and sandals and ventured outside, leaving the other girls sound asleep.

Natsumi stood on a patio deck behind the dining room area, overlooking the forest below. The hallways were quiet as most people had returned to their rooms. There was a gentle breeze that swayed her pink and white Yukata.

She couldn't stop thinking about what happened at the mall. The scenes played out in her head over and over. She saw Hajime covered in blood. She saw him running into danger to save her. Most of all, she remembered standing helplessly as the man aimed his gun down at him. She remembered the stomach turning moment he pulled the trigger. It was only by some kind of miracle that Hajime was still alive.

She felt something constricting her heart, her lungs, even her stomach. She leaned on the railing and clutched her arm as she looked up at the starry night sky.

" _Nice view, isn't it_?" a voice said from behind her, causing her to jump and quickly turn around. Her back was to the railing and she clutched it in shock. She then relaxed her posture and formed a nasty glare as she realized who it was.

Hideki walked up to the railing beside her and placed his hands on it. He gazed up at the sky. Natsumi just stood there, with an aggravated look on her face.

" _I don't know why you keep trying this. I have nothing to say to you._ " She said, coldly.

" _Well then, maybe we should talk about something you do like. Hajime, for example._ " He said with a sly grin. Natsumi just blushed angrily.

 _"I don't know what you're talking about. Hajime is just my bodyguard. That's it."_ She said, dismissively.

 _"Hmm. If that's all you see him as, then you're colder than I thought.,"_ he said, leaning in closer. _"You know he's willing to die for you."_

Natsumi clenched her fists and turned him angrily.

 _"What the fuck do you want from me, huh?"_ She asked, as her voice began to waver. She looked more hesitant and off balance than before.

 _"I'm just telling you something you already know. Hajime truly cares about you… but there is something else you already know."_ He said, looking her in the eyes. _"He is not going to survive."_

Her blood ran cold. The cold breeze continued to blow around them. The ambient sounds of the forest were the only noise that could be heard. She stared at him wide eyed and speechless.

" _Wha…. What?_ " She manages to sputter, in a soft voice.

 _"You know this as well as I do. Hajime was not born for this life. He jumped into a world he doesn't belong in. It's going to get him killed."_

Natsumi clenched her teeth. _"No… You don't know a goddamn thing,"_ she said softly, as tears welled in her eyes.

 _"How many times has he already stuck his neck out for you? How long do you think his luck is going to last?"_

 _"Shut up..."_

 _"It's only a matter of time."_

 _"Shut up! Just shut up!"_ she yelled, grabbing Hideki by the hem of his Yukata, shaking it.

 _"What are you going to say to him, Natsumi? What are you going to say to him when he is bleeding in your arms?"_

Natsumi's eyes were blinded by tears. She collapsed to her knees and sobbed, clutching her stomach. Bitter tears rolled down her cheeks and her shoulders quaked.

 _"Hajime is a good man. I understand why you fell for him. Maybe it's time you actually started protecting him for a change."_ Hideki said, as he turned and walked away, leaving Natsumi to wallow.

She sniffled and breathed heavily. She wiped her eyes with her sleeve. _"Hajime"_ she sobbed under her breath, over and over.

Hajime lay flat on his back, looking up at the ceiling. He had only managed to sleep a few hours, before waking up. Sleep would not come to him again, no matter how patient he was. There was far too much on his mind. He tossed and turned into different positions, but nothing helped. Fuyuhiko was out like a light. Hideki had come and gone a few times throughout the night, but now slept soundly on his tatami. Hajime sat up and slowly rose from the floor. He tossed on his black Yukata over his white T-shirt and and slipped out of the room. The halls were totally empty.

He made his way to the bar room. There was an elderly gentleman manning the bar, drying off shot glasses with a white towel. To Hajime's surprise, there was somebody at the bar, someone he recognized. It was a red haired woman, with lucious mammary assets, that were barely contained by her Kimono. It was Maaya Umebayashi.

Hajime took a seat, a few stools down from her. She had a warm, ceramic tokkuri filled with sake. She carefully and elegantly filled a cup of steaming sake and downed it quickly, letting out a soothing sigh. Hajime watched her for a moment and then turned his attention away.

 _"Difficulty sleeping, dear?"_ she called over to Hajime in a melodious, motherly voice. Hajime felt shivers go down his spine. He couldn't help but feel a little intimidated by such a woman.

" _Um… yeah. I guess, I've got a lot on my mind,_ " Hajime admitted. The woman smiled.

 _"I'm sure you do, Mr. Hinata,"_ she said, pouring another shot of the warm rice wine.

 _"You know my name?"_ Hajime asked in shock. He felt a little hot under the collar as he watched the busty woman bring the drink to her lips. However, she didn't drink it down. Instead she set it back down on the bar.

 _"Of course I do. I was at summit you disrupted. I could never forget someone so incorrigible,"_ she said with subtle smile.

 _"Oh..."_ Hajime blushed in response, not sure what to say.

 _"You almost gave poor old Tatsuji a heart attack."_

 _"Uh, sorry about that."_

"Better luck next time," she said with a wink, as she picked up the warm glass off of the bar and gestured towards Hajime.

 _"Have a drink. You look like you could use one"_ she invited, enticingly.

 _"But… uh… I'm kinda underage,"_

 _"And I'm kinda over-age to be honest,"_ she joked, sardonically. _But we make our own rules here"_

Hajime hesitantly got out of his seat and approached the woman. She handed him the glass, that her lips had been all over, moments before. He gulped and blushed slightly before he brought it to his mouth and swallowed the crystal clear sake. It didn't have a very potent taste, but he could instantly feel the warming effects of the alcohol throughout his body. He let out a relieved sigh and handed it back to the woman.

 _"This will be our little secret,"_ she said with a welcoming smile. She gave off an aura of both seduction and motherly comfort, that seemed to grab Hajime by the collar and beckon him closer. He could feel blood rushing to his face.

 _"You look like someone who can keep a secret, Mr. Hinata."_

Maaya poured herself another drink, sipping it down daintily.

 _"Uhh, what makes you say that?"_

 _"Because you are a fool."_ She said with a wry smile.

Hajime felt a twinge of annoyance as she mocked him.

 _"What do you mean?"_

 _"You can always trust a fool to be a fool. An intelligent and cunning person, on the other hand… those are the ones you need to be careful around."_

 _"No offense, but you don't even know me."_

 _"I know what you aren't,"_ she said, looking away from him and sipping down the rest of the sake from her glass. _"You're no gangster."_

 _"I never said that I was. I'm not an official member yet."_

 _"And were any of your family members Yakuza affiliates?"_

 _"... No, not that I know of."_

 _"Have you ever had any involvement in crime in your past?"_

Hajime was silent for a moment.

 _"Answer, Hajime. You can be honest with me"_

 _"No. I haven't."_

 _"Interesting. So here we have a mild mannered boy from a normal family, with no criminal record, who goes to a prestigious academy. And this boy suddenly wakes up one day and says to himself "I want to go off and join the Yakuza." That's a bit odd, isn't it?"_ She asked, as her soft gaze seemed to peer right through him.

 _"What's your point? Maybe I just wanted my life to be more exciting,"_ he lied, as beads of sweat formed on his forehead. The woman just smiled and poured another drink.

 _"Let me tell you something, Mr. Hinata… May I call you Hajime instead?"_ she asked.

 _"Uhh… sure."_ Hajime responded, with a hint of shyness.

 _"I have dealt with dangerous men my whole life, Hajime. There are two kinds of men in this world. Aggressive men and passive men. It's not hard for me to tell which is which. Call it a woman's intuition. So, I already know what kind of man you are, Hajime. I could tell at the summit. And I know that you are not the kind of man who would run off and join a crime organization for fun. Something else is driving you and I think I know what it is."_

Hajime looked away from her as she grew a smug smile.

"Ahh, _young love. It's the most beautiful thing in the world... but also the most dangerous._ " She said, in a more solemn tone. Her eyes conveyed a jaded reminiscence, with only faint glimmers of remorse. She brought the sake to her lips once again, unceremoniously gulping it down.

Hajime had nothing to say. She had him dead to rights. His heart was heavy in his chest and continued to bear down him. His hand balled into a fist as it rested on the bar.

" _I will give you a piece of advice, Hajime. It is incredibly improper for me to tell you this. So, I trust that you will keep this in confidence_." she said, turning to Hajime and leaning in closer to him. She spoke more softly now.

" _Be careful around my Nephew. Hideki is… unpredictable. He is more than what he seems. If you want to protect your beloved Lady Kuzuryu, I suggest you don't let her marry him._ " She whispered, in a dead serious tone. Her seductive veneer was gone.

She stood up, slightly wobbly, but still carrying herself with grace and confidence. Hajime still looked at her, shocked and perplexed.

" _I am going to retire for the night. Take care, Hajime,_ " she said with one last seductive smile, before strolling out of the room. Hajime was deeply bewildered by the woman's words. He felt a sickening chill run through his body, an anticipation of danger.


	7. Chapter 7

Hajime stared down at his drink, as the congregation of Yakuza officials continued to pour into the ballroom. This section of the resort was a more recent addition, being a few decades old, rather than centuries. Oddly, Hajime was not feeling out of place, as he did the first time he attended the event in Sendai. Perhaps he was growing somewhat accustomed to being around large groups of powerful criminals, or perhaps there was too much else on his mind at the moment.

He glanced around the room and saw no sign of Natsumi. Fuyuhiko was conversing with a young man in his 20s. Hajime recognized him from the Sendai party. He had short black hair, some facial scars, and a decidedly unfriendly demeanor. He was largely built and looked rather intimidating. Despite that, Fuyuhiko seemed comfortable around him. Hajime would have introduced himself if he was in a more sociable mood.

The room suddenly started to quiet down and Hajime looked around, searching for the cause. He could hear murmurs that "Lady Kuzuryu" was about to arrive. Hajime nudged his way through the crowd to try to get a better look. The doors to the ballroom slowly opened and Natsumi stepped into view. Hajime was dumbstruck by what he saw.

She was wearing a red Kimono with a golden sash around her waist. It was not a typical Kimono. This one had a sharp and avant garde design. It showed off her left shoulder and gave a teasing peak at her supple legs. It fit her perfectly and was stunning to behold. Her hair was straighter than usual and she had butterfly clip in her hair. She also wore more makeup than usual, with blush showing clearly on her cheeks.

The whole room was silent as she gracefully walked into the room, followed closely by Peko, Eri and some of the other girls. The partygoers gave off an odd atmosphere. It wasn't simple admiration. It was as if they had seen a ghost. To Hajime's shock, Natsumi walked right up to Hideki. There was no scoffing, no avoidance, no contempt visible on her face. Hideki reached out his hand and she allowed him to take hers without resisting. Although, she didn't show much enthusiasm either. He gently kissed her hand.

 _"You look stunning, Natsumi,"_ he said with a smile. Natsumi looked away, her blush masked under her makeup. Most of the room seemed transfixed on her and there was a lot of murmuring going and Natsumi didn't like the way they were looking at her.

 _"Yeah, whatever. I don't know why everyone is acting so weird."_ She muttered, pulling her hand away slowly.

 _"I think I might have an idea why. How about we talk about this out on the balcony,"_ he suggested, placing his hand on Natsumi's lower back and gesturing towards the outer patio, near the back of the room.

Hajime could only watch as Natsumi walked off with Hideki. He stood there, motionless. Partygoers passed in front and behind him, but he remained stationary, staring as Natsumi and the young gangster disappeared into the crowd.

( _What is she doing?_ ) He wondered to himself. Anxiety began welling inside him. He had a bad feeling about this.

Natsumi and Hideki stepped out and closed the door behind them. Hideki walked over and leaned against the railing.

 _"It's a nice night, isn't it?"_ He asked.

 _"Just get to the point. Why did you ask me out here?"_ Natsumi asked, callously..

 _"How much do you know about your mother, Natsumi?"_ He asked, without even skipping a beat. Natsumi was taken aback by the blunt question.

 _"My… mom? Why do you want to know that?"_ she asked in shock, in a noticeably softer tone. The question had disarmed her usual malice.

 _"That Kimono you're wearing. It belonged to her. Did they not tell you that?"_ He asked as Natsumi looked down at her outfit.

 _"What? No! No one told me that. They just gave me this and told me to wear it."_

 _"It was your mother's favorite. She was known for her beauty and eclectic taste. I guess they thought it would make some kind of statement for you to wear it."_

 _"How do you know all this?"_ Natsumi asked, placing both her hands on the railing and gripping it tightly. She looked at him with intense interest.

 _"How do you_ ** _not_ **_know about this? She's your mother, not mine."_

Natsumi looked down in regret and had a mournful expression.

 _"I don't remember much about my mom. She died when I was really little. We don't really talk about it much. It's… a sore subject, you know?"_

Hideki nodded.

 _"Of course I know. Both my parents are dead, remember?"_ he said with a casual smile, that sent shivers of guilt through Natsumi's body.

 _"Oh, right… I'm sorry..."_ Natsumi apologized.

 _"I actually met your mother a few times, when I was little. She actually had a pretty big impact on our clan. The whole Yakuza world admired her."_

 _"Do you… know what happened?"_ Natsumi asked, hesitantly.

 _"You mean how she died?"_

 _"Yes."_

 _"You mean no one ever told you?"_

 _"No…. they didn't."_

There was a long pause, as the two of them stood in silence. A cold wind blew through the forest and mountains.

 _"I don't think it would be… appropriate for me to tell you that,"_ he said solemnly, looking out at the trees.

 _"Come on! Why did you bring it up, then?! Just tell me what you know,"_ she demanded, angrily.

 _"Have you ever heard of the Meibatsu no Yoru?"_

 _"Night of retribution?"_

Hideki nodded.

 _"That was the night that our clan war came to an end. And that is also the night that Kaguya Kuzuryu lost her life."_

Natsumi was silent. This meant that Hideki lost his parents and she lost her mother on the same bloody night. The details of that night had always been shrouded in secrecy. They were a taboo subject, but it was clear that Hideki knew more than he was letting on.

 _"I can't really say much more. It's not my place to do so. I know it's unfair that this knowledge has been kept from you, but you'll need to find the truth for yourself."_

He gently placed his hand over Natsumi's.

 _"Of course, I'll still help you in any way that I can,"_ He said, with conviction, as he looked into her eyes. Her cheeks flushed red and she looked away from him, but gently pulled her hand away. She looked down at the ground with hesitation.

Hajime leaned against a table and muttered to himself. The table was lined with baked goods and other treats, but Hajime had no interest in that. He had never felt like this before. He had an all encompassing feeling of unease. He needed to talk to Natsumi, now. He had to get her alone somehow. As he was thinking this, an announcement was made. Dinner was to be held in 10 minutes. People already began to make their way to the dining room. In the crowd, Hajime managed to catch sight of Natsumi.

He quickly made his way over to her and called out to her.

 _"Natsumi!"_ He called. She glanced up at him and then quickly looked away, with an expression of regret. She kept walking, right past him, without saying a word.

Hajime stood there, mortified and confused, as she just brushed him off. He had difficulty processing what had just happened. Hajime could read the signals. Something was very wrong here. Blank Faced and distraught, Hajime took a seat next to Fuyuhiko and Peko. To his shock and chagrin, Natsumi was sitting alongside Hideki, across from them.

The banquet began and everyone dug into their food, except for Hajime. He stared down at his meal but was unable to coax himself into eating. He glanced over at Natsumi and her gaze met his. In that moment, he saw an expression of concern and hesitation on her face, before she averted her gaze.

The lights dimmed and suddenly two men in masks walked into the center of the room. One wore a blue dragon mask and one wore a white oni mask. Most of the room quieted down as the men stood in front of one another. They tossed aside their cloaks, to reveal their toned, muscled bodies, which were adorned with intricate Yakuza tattoos. They were each shirtless and they wore loose fitting, traditional, white pants. Each of them had a prop dagger slid into their belt. The men squared off in front of one another and bowed. They then drew their weapons.

The Kabuki duel obscured Hajime's view of Natsumi. He watched as the two men engaged in an intricate and brutal dance. The party goers were enthralled and traditional drum music was played in the background. Hajime began to grow more invested as the minutes went by. Who was going to come out victorious?

The blue dragon attacked with ferocity and passion, but the man in the oni mask was more calculated and allowed his opponent to wear himself out. In the end, the oni began to turn the tables on the dragon, landing critical blows. The dragon dropped to his knees and the oni placed his hand on his head, leaning on him comically. Hajime leaned forward, on the edge of his seat. The man reached down, brought his blade to the neck of his opponent, and pulled it away.

The man in the dragon mask reached up to his neck, bursting a small bladder of fake blood in his hands, sending it streaming down his neck and chest. He collapsed to the ground and the man in the oni mask bowed gracefully. Soon afterwards the man in the dragon mask also stood up. Both of them bowed to the crowd, to a unanimous applause.

Hajime, on the other hand, couldn't help but feel put off by the whole thing, but at least it wasn't real.

Roughly forty five minutes later, there room was silenced by the sound of a spoon clanging against a glass. At the far end of the table, Tatsuji Hatoyama stood up and cleared his throat, looking over the room.

 _"I trust you are all enjoying the festivities, but If if may have your attention for a moment, there is an announcement to be made."_

Hajime looked up curiously, as did the rest of the room.

 _"This announcement will not be made by me, but instead will be directly from the esteemed lady Kuzuryu,"_ he gestured towards Natsumi.

The blonde girl stood up and straightened her Kimono. She looked around the room, with minor apprehension. She avoided looking at Hajime. She cleared her throat.

 _"I… uh… I would like to make an announcement. I know that the Kuzuryu and the Minamoto clans have been enemies since before I was born. And I also know that all of you have worked hard to put that past behind us. All of us here want a better future for both of our clans. As the daughter of the Oyabun, I have a duty to do whatever I can to make sure that future becomes a reality. That is why… I have decided…"_

Hajime's eyes went wide.

( _No..._ )

 _"I have decided to marry Hideki Minamoto."_

The world froze around Hajime. There was applause and cheering. Various officials throughout the room shook hands. Congratulations were given to Natsumi and Hideki. The atmosphere was excited and boisterous, but Hajime couldn't hear any of it. He just stared at Natsumi. His legs were numb and his heart was in his stomach. He felt like he was dying.

Before long, a gaggle surrounded the betrothed couple. They continued to shower them with praise and began laying out wedding plans. Hajime had no way of getting to Natsumi. He had never felt so impotent and helpless. There was nothing he could do. Eventually, Natsumi and Hideki departed the venue, veiled by the crowd.

Hajime sat there, dumbfounded, in a trance. He was finally shaken from his stupor by a strong arm on his shoulder, shaking him. It was Peko.

 _"We need to talk."_

Hajime rose to his feet and followed her, in a zombie-like fashion. He was still paralyzed with shock and dejection. Fuyuhiko was waiting for them in the game room, pacing back and forth. There was a ping pong table, a pool table, and various other activities to be had in this room. It was totally empty right now. Peko closed the door behind them and locked it.

 _"Ok… does anyone want to explain WHAT THE FUCK that was back there!?"_ Fuyuhiko yelled and pounded his fist down on the ping pong table, causing the paddles to rattle around.

 _"I do not know what has come over Mistress Natsumi. Perhaps some kind of brainwashing could be at play."_ Peko suggested.

 _"Hajime! I thought you were on top of this! This wasn't supposed to happen!"_

Hajime just stood there staring down at the ground. Fuyuhiko stomped over to him and grabbed him by the hem of his Yukata, slamming him against the wall.

 _"Stop zoning out, Hajime! Get your shit together! If you don't do something about this, you're gonna lose Natsumi forever! If you aren't gonna help the cause then just get the fuck out of here and let us handle this!"_ He yelled, shaking Hajime, angrily.

Peko sighed and placed her hand to her forehead.

 _"Our plan was to find some way to get Natsumi out of this marriage, but we never expected her to actually agree to it. What can we possibly do about that?"_ she postulated.

 _"I will talk to her."_ Hajime said, flatly.

 _"You goddamn better!"_ Fuyuhiko responded, loosening his grip on Hajime and letting go of his clothes.

 _"That Hideki bastard must have used some kind of brainwashing on her or something. Snap her out of it, Hajime! You gotta do this! It's all up to you!"_ the boy spoke intensely. But Hajime looked hesitant and unsure of himself. He was riddled with doubt and it was easy to read that on his face.

Natsumi stood on the balcony, looking out at the woods. She slowly breathed in the fresh outdoor air. Her stomach was in knots and she leaned on the railing for support. She heard footsteps behind her and knew who it was.

 _"I got your text,"_ she said, without turning around. _"What do you want to talk about, Hajime?"_

"You know damn well what I want to talk about."

Natsumi sighed. _"Yes… I do. I already know what you are going to say."_

 _"No you don't."_

 _"I know you're going to try to talk me out of it."_

Hajime paused for a moment. _"I trusted you, Natsumi... Why? How could you do this?"_

 _"I always knew this would happen eventually. Even from day we met. It's just the way things are."_ she said emotionlessly. Hajime clenched his fist in anger.

 _"You're full of shit."_

 _"Hajime…"_

 _"Don't act like you don't have a choice. You always have choice."_  
 _  
_"You don't know anything Hajime. You think you can just walk into our world and change everything? It doesn't work that way."

 _"Natsumi… This guy is dangerous."_

 _"So what? All of us are dangerous"_

Hajime was silent for a moment.

 _"Is that it, Hajime? Is that all you have to say?"_ Natsumi sighed. Hajime didn't say anything. He stood there, motionless. He un-clenched his fist.

 _"Actually, it isn't. I have something else I want to say to you,"_ Hajime spoke calmly, as his tone took on a cold harshness.

 _"Oh?"_

 _"Just go ahead and fucking marry him."_

 _"W-what?"_

 _"If that's what you want to do, I'm not gonna try to talk you out of it. The guy is dangerous. You deserve fair warning about that. But I'm not going to get on my knees and beg and grovel. If everything we've been through means so little to you, then just forget about all of it. Forget about me"_ Hajime scorned, spitefully.

Natsumi didn't say anything in response for a long time. She still faced away from him.

 _"Is that all?"_ She asked, her voice wavering slightly.

 _"Yeah… Goodbye Natsumi."_ Hajime said as he turned to walk away. His eyes were stinging and his vision was blurred. Natsumi stood in the cold wind, staring out at the night sky. Her shoulders quaked, her teeth were clenched and hot tears rolled down her face.

 **One week later**

Hajime sat on the edge of the stone fountain. It was the late afternoon and classes were let out. A few stray students chattered and quipped with each other and became more sparse as the minutes ticked by. Hajime wore his usual, black school apathetically stared down at the letter in his hands. He read through it for the third time.

 **To Mr Hinata,**

 **I hope that you are well and that your service to our family has not degraded your health, either physically or mentally. I am disheartened to hear of your resignation, but I wholeheartedly understand the nature of it. You have already served our family greatly and we will be forever indebted to you. I would like to give you my full assurances that Natsumi will be safe and well taken care of, from here on out. Upon her departure from Hope's Peak, your services will no longer be needed. However, the deeds you have done will certainly never be forgotten, and I hope for the brightest future for you.**

 **\- Oyabun Matsushige Kuzuryu**

Hajime clenched the letter in his hand and crumpled it up, tossing it aside. He sighed raggedly and hung his head low.

It had been only a week since they had returned from the hot springs and Natsumi's furniture was already being moved from her dorm. By this time tomorrow, she would be gone, never to return again. The date of the marriage had already been planned and invitations to the event had already begun distribution. Hajime had been given plenty of time for the reality of the situation to set in, but it still felt surreal.

It was all over. All the events of the past year had flown by in a blur. It swept him out of his monotonous life and into one of chaos. It changed him. He was not the same person that he was, the day he met Natsumi. He could never go back to how he was before, but he still felt that old despair creeping in, trying to burrow itself back into his mind.

Suddenly, a soft voice broke through Hajime's mire of self pity.

 _"Hajime?"_

He looked up to see a face he not seen in a while.

 _"Chiaki?"_

 _"It's been awhile since we played, hasn't it?"_ the gamer girl noted, with a friendly smile. But as she got a closer look at Hajime, she noticed something.

 _"Hajime… Is that a scar on your forehead?"_ she asked with gentle concern in her voice.

 _"Huh? Oh, this! It's no big deal, really. I just… uh, tripped. It was pretty embarrassing actually."_

 _"Oh, I see. I thought it meant that you're a wizard now."_

 _"Huh?"_

 _"So how are you doing Hajime?"_ She asked earnestly.

 _"Uh… well, to be honest, not that great."_

Chiaki then suddenly wrapped her arms around him, giving him a hug.

 _"Eh? Ch-chiaki? What are you doing?"_

 _"You look sad. So I gave you a hug. That's what you should always do to make people feel better. That's what Ibuki told me."_

 _"O-ok,"_ Hajime responded, blushing awkwardly as the petite girl still clung onto him. She loosened her grip and sat down beside him.

 _"So, what's bothering you, Hajime?"_

 _"It's kinda a long story…"_

Chiaki just gave him a warm, understanding smile. She didn't have to say anything. He understood.

 _"Ok, uh… It's been almost a year since I started work as Natsumi's bodyguard. It's been… interesting."_

 _"Like the Akutagawa incident?"_ Chiaki asked, innocently.

 _"Yeah, like that…. Woah wait! How do you know about that?!"_

 _"Everyone knows about that, Hajime. I saw you in the videos online."_

 _"Oh… I see…"_

Chiaki paused for a moment.

 _"Are you putting yourself in danger, Hajime?"_ She asked, with a concerned look, gazing at the ground.

 _"I didn't want to, but I had to protect Natsumi."_

 _"I understand. You must really like her, don't you Hajime?"_

Her words stuck in him like swords. It was true. The emotions he felt for her were far stronger than that.

 _"...yeah."_

 _"Where is she now?"_ Natsumi asked, looking around, curiously.

 _"She's leaving soon. She's... going to be getting married to a different guy."_

 _"What?! Oh, I'm sorry Hajime,"_ the gamer girl apologized.

 _"Don't apologize. It's not your fault. It's an arranged marriage."_

 _"Oh. That doesn't sound fun. What does Natsumi think about it?"_

 _"Tch… well, she was against it from the start, but then she just agreed to it, out of nowhere."_

 _"Why would she do that?"_

 _"Your guess is as good as mine. I thought I understood that girl, but I guess I was wrong,"_ he responded, bitterly.

 _"Did you talk to her about it?"_

 _"Yeah… well sort of. I still don't really understand her reasons for changing her mind like this. She doesn't like the guy and she even said she would rather die than have an arranged marriage. None of it makes any sense."_

 _"I agree. I could always tell that she really likes you too. She wouldn't do that unless she had a good reason."_

 _"Well, I can't see one. And I don't think i'm ever gonna find out."_

 _"Maybe we can figure it out. I have been playing a lot of mystery games_ ** _and_ **_dating sim games lately."_

 _"I guess…"_ Hajime mumbled, halfheartedly.

 _"So, you think that Natsumi agreed to marry him, because she doesn't care enough about you?"_

 _"Yeah. That sounds terrible, but that's the only thing I can think of."_

 _"But what if that's not the case. What if it's the opposite. What if she is marrying him_ ** _because_ **_she cares about you."_

 _"What? What are you talking about,"_ he asked, perplexed.

 _"Hajime… I don't think you understand how girl's feel. I want you to Imagine if I was your bodyguard."_

Hajime had a mental image of Chiaki running around in knight's armor, waving a stubby sword at people. That would have made him chuckle under other circumstances.

 _"If I got badly injured trying to protect you and almost got killed, how would you feel?"_

 _"I… would feel awful. I wouldn't want you to protect me anymore,"_ Hajime marveled, as the realization finally hit him.

 _"Exactly, Hajime. How do you think Natsumi feels?"_

 _"But... she never said anything about that! How was I supposed to know that?"_

 _"Listen Hajime. When something big like this happens and someone doesn't want to talk about it, it means two things. Either it doesn't bother them at all, or it really, really bothers them. Which do you think is more likely?"_

Hajime placed his hand to his face. ( _I'm a fucking idiot… I said all those things_ )

 _["Just go ahead and fucking marry him"]_

 _["If everything we've been through means so little to you..."]_

 _["Forget about me"]_

 _["Goodbye, Natsumi"]_

( _You fucking moron! That wasn't what she needed to hear!_ )

Tears welled in Hajime's eyes and rolled down his face as he clenched his teeth angrily. He thought back to Natsumi's words.

 _["Is that all?"]_

Hajime stood up.

 _"I'm not going to let it end this way. I need to tell her the truth."_

Chiaki looked up at him with a smile and nodded.

Natsumi stepped out of the black SUV, closing the door behind her. She clutched a small bag of personal belongings, while one of Hideki's assistants unloaded the carry on luggage from the back of the vehicle. The train station drop-off area was crowded and bustling at this hour. It was the late afternoon and the sun was already beginning to set. Natsumi looked over her shoulder at the cityscape, hoping to get one last look at Hope's Peak, but it wasn't even in view anymore. She sighed to herself and turned towards the train station. She had to focus on the future, now. She had to make the best of it. She felt that she owed that to Hajime.

 _"Are you alright, Natsumi?"_ Hideki asked, casting a concerned eye on the glum girl.

 _"Yeah. I'm fine"_ She responded, coldly.

 _"Your brother and Peko are already waiting in Shizouka for us. The sooner we get going, the sooner you can see them."_

 _"Right…"_

Natsumi turned to begin ascending the stairs, towards the station entrance. There was no turning back now. This chapter of her life was coming to a close and a new one was about to start. It would take a while, but her wounds would eventually heal and she would adapt to this new life. Or at least, that was what she told herself.

It was then that she heard a voice. It was faint and drowned out by the chattering crowd. She turned to look over her shoulder and scanned the crowd. It was gone.

As soon as she turned away she heard it again, piercing through the crowd.

 _"Natsumi!"_

Her eyes went wide and she felt a sudden rush of warmth through her body. She turned around to see Hajime forcing his way through the crowd to get to her. For a moment, she thought she was hallucinating.

 _"Hajime? W-what are you doing here?"_ She asked, in disbelief as he came stumbling towards her. He put his hands on his knees for a moment to catch his breath. Hideki looked at him skeptically.

 _"Ah, did you come here to see Natsumi off? That was nice of you."_

"Not quite," Hajime said, curtly.

 _"What is this about, Hajime? What are you trying to do?"_ Natsumi asked with a frown.

 _"I'm here to stop you."_

 _"Hajime… Please don't do this. We already said everything that needs to be said."_

 _"No! That's wrong! I didn't tell you the truth. I was an idiot, and i'm sorry."_

 _"It's too late. It's already been decided. Nothing you say now, can change that..."_

Hideki placed his hand on Hajime's shoulder.

 _"She's right, Hajime. Both clans have already signed off and the ceremony is already being set up. Do you really intend to defy the wishes of both clans?"_

 _"I don't give a shit!"_ Hajime snapped as he pushed away Hideki's arm.

 _"I'll take on the entire Kuzuryu-gumi and Minamoto clan myself, if I have to!"_

Natsumi clenched her fists.

 _"Get real, Hajime! Grow up already! This is the real world! There are consequences! You can't just keep jumping into things! You're gonna throw your life away!"_

 _It's my life, Natsumi! I'll do what I want with it. Even if that does mean throwing it away! Because I love you, Natsumi!"_

Natsumi was unable to stop the tears welling up in her eyes. She reached up and attempted to cover them with her arm.

 _"You idiot… you goddamn idiot… You've been like this, ever since I met you. You've been sticking your neck out for me over and over… but you still don't get it. If something happened to you, I would never be able to live with myself."_

Hajime walked over to her and put his hands on her shoulders and pulled her in close for a warm embrace.

 _"Natsumi, listen to me. There are some things that are worth risking everything for. I'll gladly take that risk to be with you. Whatever happens, happens. That's a price I choose to pay. You can't just make that decision for me."_

Natsumi finally broke down into sobbing as she clutched onto him. Hajime realized that he was crying too. The crowd that swirled around them seemed so distant. In that moment, it was just the two of them in the entire world.

Hideki crossed his arms and smiled to himself.

 _"Who would've seen this coming?"_ he sarcastically chuckled under his breath.

 _"Well, if you two lovebirds are finished, I'm going to call them to tell them the wedding is off."_ Hideki said as Hajime and Natsumi separated from each other quickly and embarrassingly.

 _"Oh, you don't have to do that Hideki. We can tell them ourselves."_ Hajime insisted.

 _"Nah. You guys have been through enough. Plus there will be less heat if I tell them it was my idea. I'll tell em I got cold feet. I didn't wanna be tied down. They'll believe that. They'll have to believe it."_

 _"Hideki…"_ Natsumi was at a loss for words, as was Hajime.

 _"Oh, and I gotta see if we can get our checked luggage off the train before it leaves. Give me a sec, guys."_ He said before walking off to make a few phone calls. Hajime and Natsumi took a seat on one of the benches. For a long time, they didn't say anything. But unlike the previous weeks, it was not a silence of dread and discomfort. Words weren't needed right now. Hajime slowly reached his hand over and interlaced his fingers with hers, clasping it tightly. Cars and people passed by in a blur, but they were in a world of their own.

Hours passed as Hideki chatted away on his phone at one of the coffee shops. He gave the two of them some privacy. The sun had finally set over the horizon and a full moon beamed down from overhead.

 _"I have no idea what brought us together."_ Hajime said, as he gazed up at the night sky.

 _"What do you mean by that?"_

 _"By all accounts, this should have all crashed and burned a long time ago. Don't you think?"_

Natsumi smirked. _"Yeah. We're a walking disaster."_

 _"But we're still here, aren't we? That's gotta mean something. It may be naive, but I have a good feeling about the future."_

At that moment, Hideki returned, tossing an empty coffee cup into the trash.

 _"Hey guys. Sorry that took so long. There was a lot of explaining to do. But I think they're gonna be able to work it out."_

Hajime stood up and extended his hand to Hideki.

 _"I can't thank you enough for this, Hideki. Really."_

Hideki reached out and clutched Hajime's hand, shaking it firmly. He smiled warmly.

 _"That's what friends do, right?"_

Natsumi stood behind Hajime, uncomfortably. She stepped forward and looked Hideki in the eyes.

 _"I'm… uh…. I'm sorry about canceling on you like this.. and for being such a jerk to you this whole time. Please forgive me,"_ she said, giving a light, formal bow.

 _"Come on guys. Seriously, stop. You're gonna make me blush. It isn't manly,"_ He chuckled. As he said that, lights could be seen, pulling up to the station. There was nobody else at the drop off strip, besides Hajime, Hideki and Natsumi. The stores inside were all closed.

 _"Ah, that must be our ride,"_ Hideki stated, confidently. Two black cars pulled up alongside them. The group walked over to the sedans, but Hajime felt a sudden twinge of suspicion. It was instinctive. It slithered up his spine and filled him with dread.

 _"N-Natsumi…"_ he called out hesitantly to her. She turned around to face him, curiously.

 _"Huh? What is it?"_ She asked, as four large men exited the vehicles. They were suited, they were tough looking and they were closing in on Natsumi. Hajime's eyes grew wide as he froze up, temporarily in shock.

 _"Natsumi! Run!"_ He called out. She could already read the fear on his face, before he even spoke. Her eyes went wide. She quickly turned around, but It was too late. Two of the men grabbed her by the arms. A third pressed a strong hand over her mouth, to muffle her. Hajime charged at the men.

 _"Get away from her, you bastar-"_ he yelled before he was cut off. One of them came up behind him and pistol whipped him in the back of the head.

He could barely even register what had just happened. His vision was blurry, his ears were ringing and he collapsed to the ground. Natsumi managed to pull the man's hand off of her mouth and tried to call out to Hajime. His hearing was so muffled that he couldn't make out what she was saying. His eyes slowly closed and he lost consciousness.

 _"Should we dispose of him?"_ asked on of the men, grabbing Hajime by the hair.

" _Cool it guys, cool it. Lets not get needlessly messy. Just toss him in the trunk for now. He's not a threat_."


	8. Chapter 8

The doors to the warehouse slid open with a rusty scraping noise. Hideki was the first to enter, followed by two of his enforcers. The two men dragged the blonde girl in tow. They held her by the arms and forced her forward. The building was filled with cargo crates, most of which were empty and stacked along the walls. It looked as if this place hadn't been used in many years.

 _"Let me go, you fucking pricks!"_ Natsumi cursed angrily, to mask her deep terror. Her heart was about to beat out of her chest and she was unable to stop her hands from shaking.

The door was closed behind them, by two men already in attendance. As Natsumi looked around the room, she could see that there were at least two dozen men already here. What was going on? How many were in on this?

The men dragged Natsumi over to a chair, towards the center of the warehouse floor. They finally released her arms, which she jerked away from them, shooting each of them a scathing glare. She looked around, scanning for a possible exit, but she couldn't see any. The room was packed with Minamoto thugs, security, and hitmen. There was no way she stood a chance if she resisted them. She straightened her clothes and attempted to calm her nerves.

 _"Take a seat,"_ one of the burly men ordered her, sternly looking down at her. Natsumi did her best to give off a smug, cocky look.

 _"Listen, tubby. Maybe you don't know who I am, so I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. If you're smart, you'll listen to-"_

There was a loud smack, as the man backhanded her across the face. Natsumi's grin was literally wiped away by the man's strike. The man's open knuckles impacted against her jaw hard, and she could taste blood. Her eyes watered a bit and she grabbed her cheek in shock and pain. Her pupils were dilated and in that moment, her fear unmasked.

 _(Don't let them rattle you. You have to be brave. You're a Kuzuryu.)_ she told herself. She blinked back the tears and shot the man a menacing glare.

 _"You just signed your death warrant, fuckface. My father is gonna take you apart, piece by piece!"_ She sneered at the man, hoping her threat would rattle him. Unshockingly, it didn't. The next thing Natsumi knew, she was on her knees, clutching her stomach. The man delivered a merciless sucker punch to her gut. Her body quaked with nausea and she struggled not to puke. Her eyes watered profusely and she looked up at the man, unable to muster the resolve to make a snide comment. Humiliation and rage seethed within her and her vision blurred with tears.

Hideki's hand fell on the shoulder of the henchman.

 _"Now now, Shirota. Let's try to be civil about this. After all, Natsumi is a smart girl. I'm sure she knows that cooperation is her best chance to get out of this, unscathed. However, she is still a Kuzuryu and still wishes to be treated with dignity."_ Hideki said calmly, as Natsumi still clutched her stomach. Hideki then knelt down beside her, looking her in the eyes.

 _"Natsumi, I'm going to have to ask you to cooperate with my men. They have limited patience and I can only restrain them so much. Please do your best to cooperate with them."_

Natsumi still shot Hideki is look of malice and contempt, through tear filled eyes, but she reluctantly agreed. She pulled herself into the chair and took a seat, crossing her arms in front of her. This didn't last long, as the men quickly grabbed her wrists and forced them behind her back. She could hear the ripping of tape, before it was pressed to her wrists and wrapped around over and over.

 _"I don't know what your game is, Hideki. But you're mental if you think my family is going to let you get away with this. Do the smart thing and let me and Hajime go, right now!"_ She demanded, as the men wrapped a few bands of tape around her torso, binding her to the chair.

 _"I know this is confusing for you, Natsumi. This was all really short-notice. I'm not happy about it either. This has been hectic for all of us, but everything will start to make sense soon. Just be patient,_ " he said, casually. His nonchalant attitude was causing Natsumi's blood to boil.

 _"Don't fuck with me, Hideki! Tell me the truth! What the hell do you want?! What are you trying to do?!"_

 _"I think we are done with the questions for now,"_ he said as he gestured to one of the men. Natsumi was confused for a moment. The man took a white cloth and balled it up. The man approached the restrained blonde girl. She immediately began struggling and turned her head away.

 _"No! Get away from m-NNGHH!"_

The man roughly grabbed her by the jaw and crammed the cloth into her mouth. He wasn't exactly gentle and she almost choked on it. The cloth muffled her speech and caused her to retch. He then pressed a silver strip of tape over her lips.

Natsumi's face was red. She was both livid and humiliated. Her eyes shot daggers at Hideki. However, the more time she had to think, the more the reality of the situation began to sink in. Her thoughts drifted to Hajime and what might happen to him. She twisted and pulled on her wrists, trying to loosen the tape, to no avail. She sighed and breathed in through her nose. She focused on calming her breathing. She had to keep a level head. She had to stay strong, no matter what happened.

Hajime jolted awake. When his eyes opened, there was little difference from when they were closed. He was surrounded in pure blackness. His head was still ringing with pain. He groaned and reached behind his head, feeling for blood. The back of his head was still damp. This meant that he hadn't been asleep for too terribly long.

In his disoriented stupor, he felt around at his environment. The floor was fuzzy, but too rough to be a normal carpet. There were miscellaneous objects around him. The walls were close and claustrophobic. He could feel plastic and metal. Judging by the size and composition, he quickly realized where he was. Then, his memories came flooding back to him.

( _Natsumi!_ )

He searched his pockets. Of course, they had already taken his cell phone. He began feeling around the trunk desperately for some kind of safety latch, but had no luck. He began banging and kicking the trunk hatch above him. However, he didn't have enough room to build up momentum. No matter how much he banged it with his knee, the trunk wouldn't budge.

( _Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!_ )

As he struggled, he bumped up against various unknown objects around him. They impeded him further and frustrated him even more. He pounded the trunk with his fists.

 _"Hideki!"_ he yelled out. _"You bastard!"_

Hajime had tired himself out. He lay on his back, panting. Very little oxygen from outside was able to seep into the trunk, and he was using it all up quickly. It was no use. He was not going to be able to force his way out.

He felt around at the objects around him, hoping to find something he could use. There were jumper cables, which he almost became tangled in. There was a metal cross shaped object, that he quickly identified as a four way lug wrench. In addition, he found some loose lugs, plastic bags, and, oddly, a baseball. The final object was the largest of the bunch. It took a few moments for Hajime to determine what it was. It was heavy and metal. It had a sloped surface, and a handle coming off of it. He soon determined that it was a car jack.

He thought for a moment, going over his options. Then, an idea struck him. He had exactly what he needed to escape this situation. It was right in front of him. He rolled the car jack to face right side up. He felt around on its surface for the circular indentation. He then placed the lug wrench on top of it, stabilizing it with his hand. He reach over and pressed down on the pump. It raised the bar, ever so slightly. He did it again and repeated the motion over and over. The metal rod began to extend upward until, finally, the lug wrench made contact with the trunk hatch above him. He cranked it again, and the lug wrench tightened its brace against the roof.

This was it. Now it was time to see if his makeshift contraption would succeed. He cranked it over and over. The lug wrench thrusted upward, slowly denting the roof. A loud creaking noise could be heard. The tense metal elicited low hums, as its structural integrity was put to the test. The jack was putting out thousands of pounds of pressure and something was going to have to give. Hajime didn't relent.

He couldn't let things end this way. He couldn't just wait around helplessly while those men were hurting Natsumi. He had to escape and rescue her no matter what.

There was a sudden and harsh snap, as the latch on the trunk gave way, sending metal bearings and chunks of plastic flying. The trunk burst open and a rush of fresh O2 washed over Hajime. He hadn't realized how truly stifling and stale the air of the trunk was, until he was able to breathe in some fresh air. He felt his strength and concentration quickly returning.

He quickly scrambled his way out of the trunk and took in his surroundings. It was still night time. He surmised that it was probably around midnight, but he couldn't be sure. There were many large warehouses, in the shadow of a derelict factory building. The area was sparsely lit, with occasional street lights scattered throughout. He could see traces of light coming from only one of the warehouses. There was a large number of cars parked outside of it, as well. That had to be where Natsumi was.

Hajime approached the metal, sliding door. Perhaps it would have been smarter to run for help, but there was no time. Natsumi could be in danger at this very moment. That was the only thought that dominated Hajime's mind. With that singular focus, he clutched the handle tightly in his hand. He pulled with all his strength. The door started to slowly budge, sending the noise of metal grinding on metal, echoing through the warehouse. He grabbed the handle with his other hand and yanked it open quickly, with both arms.

 _"Ah, Hajime….. Well, this a little awkward isn't it?"_ Hideki said with an unassuming grin. Hideki stood at the center of the room, and surrounding him were over a dozen shadowy figures, clad in suits. Hajime immediately knew that they must be enforcers of the Minamoto clan.

Hajime panted as he stood in the doorway. He looked around the room, realizing the odds against him. He marched towards Hideki and as he did, one of the guards slid the door closed. He stood in front of it, cutting off Hajime's exit.

Hajime transfixed on Hideki with a fiery gaze of betrayal and disdain.

" _Where is she?!_ " He asked forcefully, clenching his fists. Hideki looked at him with mock curiosity..

" _Hmm? You mean Natsumi? Oh she's fine. She's right here,_ " he said, stepping aside and revealing the captive girl behind him. Natsumi was still taped to the wooden chair. A camcorder on a tripod was set up, aimed at her. Her cheeks were stained with tears and a strip of tape was pressed over her mouth, silencing her. Upon seeing Hajime she attempted to call out to him, to tell him to get out of there, but all that came out were muffled cries.

 _"Nhh! Hmjnmh!"_

 _"Natsumi… You fucking bastard, Hideki! Let her go, now!"_ Hajime demanded, as he broke into a sprint, charging at Hideki. It was a brash move, but his legs just carried him. Before he could reach his target, three of Hideki's goons stepped into his path. Hajime managed to plant his fist in one of their faces but had the wind knocked out of him as one of the guards sucker punched him in the stomach. Hajime wasn't about to give up. He grabbed one of the goons by the collar and attempted to uppercut him in the jaw, but one of the others barred his arm around Hajime's neck. Hajime then received multiple blows to the face, body, and ribs.

Natsumi struggled and tugged at her bonds and screamed for them to stop as tears streamed down her face. They let go of Hajime and he dropped to his knees. Moments after he did, he received a knee to the face and was knocked onto the ground. At that point, Hajime was disoriented and received a pummeling barrage of kicks, that only ceased once Hideki spoke up.

 _"That's enough, gentlemen. Let's not go overboard. You've made your point,"_ Hideki said, lightheartedly. Hajime struggled to his feet, but only managed to take a knee. He gripped his body in pain and had blood oozing from his right nostril and his mouth. He spat it out and shot Hideki a pained glare.

 _"You…... aren't going to get away with this... You can't force her to marry you! Have you lost your mind? The Kuzuryu are never going to forgive this."_ Hajime asked, as his jaw ached in agony. Hideki looked at him quizzically and then broke into a sly grin.

 _"Ohhhhh, that's what you think this is about, Hajime? It looks like we have a misunderstanding. Wow. Talk about awkward,"_ he said with a laugh. Hajime looked at him, bewildered and confused.

 _"W-what? But… that's why you kidnapped her, isn't it? Because she cancelled the marriage?"_

Hideki shrugged and shook his head.

 _"Ehhh, I guess that's partially true, but you missed the mark. To be honest with you Hajime. I never had any intention of marrying Natsumi here. She's a cute girl and all, but really, the thought of marrying her sickens me to the very core of my being,"_ he said in a casual tone as he patted Natsumi on the head.

 _"Then… why? This doesn't make any sense."_ Hajime said before spitting more blood out of his mouth. _"Why did you kidnap Natsumi then?"_

Hideki scratched the back of his head and sighed.

 _"It's kinda complicated, Hajime, but I'll humor you. We're friends after all."_ He said as the guards backed away from Hajime. However, they stood poised, ready to subdue him if he attempted to attack Hideki.

 _"Let me tell you a story, Hajime. Once, there were two great clans. They warred and feuded for generations. In this war there were men of great strength and terrible wrath. There was bloodshed. There was chaos. There was destruction. But there was also creation. Families rose to power and families fell. Legends were born and also died. And the name Yakuza was feared and respected throughout the nation."_

Hideki said, as his tone began to darken. _"But, that world came to an end, on a single night. One night was all that it took for the Kuzuryu-gumi to wipe out my entire family, the entire leadership of the Minamoto clan and their allies too. The Kuzuryu achieved total dominance of the Yakuza world."_

Hajime felt chills go down his spine. He was finally seeing the true feelings of the young Yakuza prince. Hajime had never really stopped to seriously consider how much had been taken from him, by the Kuzuryu-gumi.

 _"And kind of world has the Kuzuryu delivered, since their rise to power? We have a single clan with a monopoly of power. A clan that has tamed the Yakuza world. A clan that values corporate investments and public relations more than its own heritage. The world of Yakuza is no longer founded upon struggle and conquest, but instead on bureaucracy and business. In exchange for peace, they have allowed their fangs to grow dull. And now they intend to deliver the final nail in the coffin, the final insult, the Kuzuryu clan and the Minamoto clan uniting together at last. That way, they will never have to worry about any conflicts ever again. Yakuza history will finally come to an end."_ Hideki spoke with a venomous mocking tone. Hajime just stared in bewilderment.

 _"So what do you want? Just revenge? Because of what the Kuzuryu did to your clan?"_

Hideki sighed and shook his head.

 _"You still don't get it, Hajime. This isn't about revenge, at all. I don't blame the Kuzuryu for slaying my family. It's only natural for enemies to kill each other. They were simply doing what they were supposed to. Their crime was not slaughtering my clan. Their crime was allowing us to_ ** _live_ **_. They should have finished off when they had the chance, but they failed. And because they failed, the cycle of history has now turned against them. They have grown weak while we have grown strong,"_ he said proudly, raising his arms at his sides referring Hajime to the men that surrounded the room.

Hajime was speechless as Hideki gave his impassioned rant. He couldn't take his eyes off of him. An overwhelming weight of dread was bearing down on him, like he had never felt before.

 _"The Kuzuryu-gumi have strayed from the path. They have forgotten the virtue of struggle. I think it's time they remembered their true calling. It's time they faced true justice. It's time for a new chapter for the history books."_ Hideki said as he raised his arms at his sides and grinned at Hajime with a sinister smirk.

 _"What do you plan on doing?"_ He asked, to which Hideki just grinned.

 _"The leadership of our clans want to unite. They want to do this by uniting Natsumi and myself."_ he said, flicking on the camcorder which was pointed at Natsumi.

 _"They say every great era of history begins with a great atrocity. Instead of uniting our clans, what if I were to do the exact opposite? What if I were to drive a permanent wedge between them,"_ he said as he walked over to Natsumi.

Hajime face went pale. He felt a chills running through his body..

 _"You were completely right, Hajime,"_ he said as he placed his arm strongly on Natsumi's shoulder. Natsumi froze up in absolute fear. Her face was pale and her body locked up. Hideki took a strand of Natsumi's hair and smelled her sweet scent. The girl's eyes dilated as she stared straight ahead..

 _"The Kuzuryu will never forgive what we intend on doing to Natsumi tonight."_

Hajime's eyes were shrouded by shadow, as he rose to his feet. He didn't say a word.

 _"Don't worry. I promise to be... tactful... but the same can't be said of my colleagues,"_ Hideki smirked before looking up to see that Hajime was charging at him at a full sprint.

 _"You bastard!"_ he screamed as he threw a punch at Hideki with all his weight. Hideki dodged the punch by only slightly shifting to the right. Hajime threw two more hooks but Hideki blocked them almost effortlessly. He then countered, delivering an uppercut, that caught Hajime in the chin, sending him backward, falling to the ground.

Hajime clutched his jaw. Practically his whole body was in pain. He looked up at Hideki with seething anger, gritting his teeth, fighting back the tears welling in his eyes. He couldn't let him do this to Natsumi.

 _"Keep your hands off Natsumi, you sick fuck!"_ he spat in rage at the young yakuza standing over him. Hideki sighed and shook his head.

 _"I get it, Hajime. I really do. I know how you feel about Natsumi. I know this must be difficult for you, but I'm going to give you a piece of advice…"_ He said, leaning down.

 _"Walk away."_

Hajime looked up at him with horror and disgust. What was he talking about?

( _Walk away?!_ )

 _"Listen to me, Hajime. You don't belong in this world of ours."_ He spoke smoothly, his words as sharp as daggers. As he spoke, Hajime could feel the eyes from all the shadowy figures fixated on him.

 _"I don't know how you wandered into it, but this role doesn't suit you. This isn't the life for you. You can put a mouse in an aquarium, but it doesn't make it a fish. Accept that reality and walk away. Go back to school. Find yourself a nice girl. I'm sure there's plenty to choose from. Settle down. Live a happy, normal life. Put all of this behind you. Just remove it from your memory."_

Hajime's head hung low. His sweat drenched hair cast shadows over his eyes. He panted ragged breaths as his body ached. Natsumi couldn't bare to look at him. She shut her eyes, and stifled a despaired whimper. She clenched her fists and bit down on the cloth in her mouth. She knew that what Hideki said was the truth. Hajime was in way over his head from the start. She cursed herself for bringing him into this and she inwardly prayed that he would take Hideki's advice and walk away.

Hideki took Hajime's silence to be a concession of defeat. He turned to walk away and then he heard Hajime's voice.

 _"Man, you sure like to talk a lot of shit, don't you?"_ Hajime said, as his breathing returned to normal. Hideki turned around with a look of wry amusement.

Hajime took a knee and began to pull himself back up onto his feet.

 _"Are you finished yet? Let's just get to the part where I beat your ass."_ Hajime said, glaring at Hideki with a look of ferocious determination.

Hideki chuckled dismissively. _"Come on, Hajime, buddy. Lets not do this. Just take my offer. You don't need to embarrass yourself."_

Hajime turned his head to the side and spit blood onto the ground.

 _"You know something, Hideki?.. you see yourself as some kind of honorable warrior. But you're not. You don't know a goddamn thing about honor. You're just another lowlife thug."_ Hajime said in a chilling, tone of condemnation.

Hideki raised an eyebrow at this. His smug expression showed signs of bemused contempt. _"Oh? Is that so?"_ he asked, as Hajime continued.

 _"You only care about fighting for the sake of fighting. Strength for the sake of strength. All you want is to boost your own ego and you call that "honor" and "justice." It's pretty pathetic."_

Hideki cocked his head and sneered. _"You think so? And you fight for a higher cause, Mr. Wannabe Bodyguard?"_

 _"Yes I do. And that is why I'm going to beat you down and make you pay for what you did to Natsumi,"_ Hajime said as he stood his ground. Natsumi's eyes were wide. And Hideki kept a cool and composed expression on his face.

 _"Is this really what you want, Hajime?"_ He asked in a casual tone. _"Do really want me to kill you?"_

Hajime stood there, staring the other young man down. He didn't answer. He just stared with unwavering resolution. Hideki sighed and waved his hand.

 _"Very well. Let's get to it, then. You're going to find out what happens when you challenge a_ ** _true_** _Yakuza,"_

Hideki slowly turned away from Hajime. He tossed aside his black, long-sleeve overshirt and then slid off his white, V-neck undershirt. His tattoos were once again revealed. The bloodthirsty Oni demons raged across his whole torso, brandishing their daggers. Hideki outstretched his arms as Hajime got a good look at his tattoos.

 _"I told you what my tattoos stood for, Hajime. Judgement for those who stray from the path."_ He said, looking over his shoulder with a look of jeering malice. _"And it's time for both you and the Kuzuryu to face your judgement"_

Natsumi yanked on her bonds so hard that the tape dug into her flesh. She cried out into her gag, begging Hideki to stop and not to kill Hajime, but one of the guards threateningly put his hand on her shoulder and forced her to sit quietly.

Hajime could feel the eyes of the Oni mask staring into his soul. It had a haunting presence and it shook his resolve, but he clenched his fists and stood strong.

 _"Get over yourself Hideki. I don't care about your tattoos."_

 _"You should know, Hajime. We take tattoos very seriously in my clan. They are only given, piece by piece, to those who have taken human lives. It's a shame that you're just going to become another name on the list. I actually kinda liked you."_ Hideki said, as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a balisong knife. He flipped it around his thumb in an opening trick and clasped it in his hand.

Hajime's heart was sending adrenaline through his body, and blood was ringing in his ears. His fight or flight reflexes were kicking in. His body was telling him that this was a fight he couldn't win. He was like a rabbit staring down a wolf. Hideki was on a totally different level than him or even Fuyuhiko. This was the true "Ultimate High School Level Gangster." Hajime felt a moment of hesitation, but then he saw her. He saw Natsumi behind Hideki, with a look of total fear and desperation in her eyes. And at that moment his resolve returned.

 _"Whatever... I never liked you,"_ he said bluntly. Hideki just chuckled and sneered.

 _"Gentlemen"_ he said loudly, addressing all the men in the room. " _A contest of blood has been declared. If any of you interfere, I'll kill you myself._ " Hideki said, as he pulled out another balisong knife and slid it across the floor, over to Hajime.

 _"I'll make this fair. We're gonna do this the old fashioned way. What can I say? I'm a romantic,"_ he said as he began to walk slowly, circling his way over to Hajime, staring him down.

Hajime picked up the knife and clasped it in his hand. He had very little knife training with Peko. He only knew some basic in grips and strategies. Hajime unbuttoned his top and tossed it aside. It would aid him in flexibility and maneuverability in the fight. He had grown some noticeable muscle over the many months, but he was still not nearly as well built as Hideki was.

Hajime's body felt light. His legs were starting to go numb as adrenaline continued to course through him. This was not a game. This was an official fight to the death. Hajime knew that one of them were not going to walk away from this. Literally everything hung in the balance of this fight. Not just his life, but also Natsumi's and the fate of the entire Kuzuryu-gumi.

The two young men approached each other in the center of the room. They eyed each other up and down trying to predict the other's movements. Hideki took on a relaxed, welcoming posture. He reached out his arms and beckoned with his hands in a mocking fashion, just begging Hajime to attack. Hajime kept his blade clasped firmly and held it low as he moved in closer. Hideki then surprised him with a sudden dash forward.

Hideki swung the knife directly at Hajime's face, but Hajime raised his arm to parry away Hideki's wrist. It almost seemed too easy, as if Hideki was not making a serious attempt with that strike. Hideki even left his mid-section exposed. Hajime saw this opening and hesitated for a moment. Was he really prepared to inflict a mortal wound on another human being? That moment gave Hideki time conduct a sweeping kick to knock Hajime off his feet. Hajime attempted to quickly roll back onto his feet, but received a swift kick in the face. Which caused him to lose grip of his knife. It clanged and slid about 5 feet away.

Hajime scrambled to pick up the knife but just before he could grab it, Hideki's show came down, pinning it to the ground. Hideki looked down at him and shook his head.

 _"Come on, Hajime. Are you even trying? These fights are supposed to be exciting and engaging. No one is going to walk away satisfied, at this rate. Not me and definitely not Natsumi."_ he said as Hajime launched to his feet and swung a punch at Hideki's face. Hideki dodged it and nimbley blocked with this blade, allowing Hajime's fist to graze the blade. This caused a deep cut between hajime's knuckles.

When Hajime attempted to grab Hideki's wrist, to subdue the knife, Hideki playfully avoided it, inflicting cuts upons the palms of Hajime's hands. Hideki was just toying with him. Before long, Hajime's hands had numerous painful lacerations and he had grown incredibly frustrated and unfocused. Hideki moved in close jabbed his knife forward for a stab at Hajime's midsection. Hajime managed to grab the knife, however he clutched it by the blade. He gripped it tightly and delivered a punch to Hideki's face with his other hand. Hideki looked unphased, despite bleeding slightly from the nose. He looked Hajime in the eyes and smirked. Hajime still clutched onto the knife, causing it to cut into his hand.

 _"That's more like it Hajime. This is what Natsumi needs to see. I want her to see you give it everything you've got."_ he said, as he quickly pulled the knife out of Hajime's grasp. He whipped the knife upward in a fast motion, the tip of the blade whipping across Hajime's cheek. It left a long gash on the right side of Hajime's face. Hajime cried out in pain and clutched his face. He stumbled back onto his rear, as warm blood poured down his face.

Natsumi screamed from across the room as this happened. She pleaded and cried into her gag as she watched Hajime. He was covered in blood at this point. She couldn't bear to watch anymore of this. She clenched her nails so deeply into her palms that they bled.

Hajime pulled himself to his feet, still clutching his face. He gritted his teeth and looked at Hideki with pure malice and contempt. Hideki was still barely harmed. This fight was entirely one sided and Hajime knew that. Nevertheless, he refused to back down. Due to their movements around the room Hajime was now able to pick up the knife he had dropped before. He held it in his hands tightly, though it was hard to grip it with his hands in the state they were in.

 _"Don't worry Hajime. It's almost over."_ Hideki said, flipping around his balisong. Hajime tried to make a swing at him, but his movements were even slower than before. Hideki blocked his attack and delivered a sharp punch to Hajime's face. He delivered another one with the other arm, opting to punch him, rather than stab him. He delivered punch after punch to Hajime's face.

Hajime stood there, dazed, taking blow after blow. Hideki then moved in close. He placed his arm around Hajime's back, as if embracing him. Hajime then felt the knife stab into his gut.

Natsumi's heart practically stopped. She couldn't make a word. Hajime didn't feel anything at first, and then the pain finally hit. He dropped to his knees and looked down. There it was, sticking out of his abdomen. He had been stabbed.

So this was it? This was what everything had led to? After everything he had been through with Natsumi, this is how it was to end? He collapsed onto his side and Hideki turned from him and walked towards Natsumi.

 _"It's a shame that things had to end like this, but I think we are the right side of history. Sure, you lost your boyfriend and yes you will have to live with a lot of anguish, regret, and despair. But I think it will help mould you into the woman you were always destined to be. Now you're back on the right path."_ he said, running his hand through her hair as she sobbed and hung her head.

 _"Get your hands off of her you piece of shit."_ Hajime said through strained breaths. He pulled himself to his feet. The knife was still sticking out of his abdomen and leaking blood. Hideki looked at him with wry amusement.

 _"You know, you could have just played dead. But now you're really forcing my hand,"_ Hideki remarked mockingly.

The last year flashed before Hajime's eyes. The day he met Natsumi. Their first conversations and the bickering. The day he saved her life from Sato. The time at the beach. The day he took her to the pet store. Their endless text conversations. Their summer break together. Their quest to rebuild Natsumi's social skills. Their first kiss. The lazy weekends they spent together.

Their lives had collided out of nowhere and intertwined together. Neither of them would be who they are now without each other in their lives. There was no way that was all for nothing. To hell with that.

 _"I… will protect Natsumi….. And I'm gonna make you regret your entire fucking life, Hideki,"_ Hajime spoke coldly, as he stepped towards his grinning opponent. As he did, his thoughts drifted back to the earliest lessons Peko had given him in combat.

 _["Approximately 78% of close combat encounters start with a right armed attack."]_

Hajime used every bit of his strength to lunge at Hideki. As expected, Hideki came in for a right handed punch. To the young Yakuza's shock, Hajime was able to raise his right arm to deflect the glancing blow. Hajime reached his right hand around Hideki's head, clutching onto his hair and then swung his own head forward. The top of Hajime's skull collided with Hideki's face. Hajime could feel a crunch as Hideki stumbled back. Blood was pouring from Hideki's nose and his eyes watered.

( _Shit!.. Shit!... I was careless_ ) Hideki scowled to himself as blood streamed down his face. His nose was possibly broken.

 _"Cheap shot Hajime. You're gonna have to-"_ he didn't finish the sentence as Hajime punched him in the jaw. His vision was still blurred, so he didn't see it coming. He quickly recovered however, realizing that Hajime was more tenacious now, purely fueled on endorphins and adrenaline.

Hideki reached down and grabbed the knife that was still stuck in Hajime's abdomen.

 _"Gnnhh!"_ Hajime cried out, as the knife shifted within him. He reached down instinctively to grab Hideki's wrists.

 _"Aww, does that hurt, Hajime? Let me help you out, buddy."_ he said as he yanked the knife out of Hajime and kicked him back. Hajime gasped as the knife was pulled from him. He dropped to his knee, clutching the wound. Blood was now flowing profusely.

The Yakuza nursed his broken nose and Attempted to regain his composure and his bearings. He wiped the blood from his nose with his arm, holding the knife in his hand.

 _"It's like I said, Hajime. You can't change your nature. You are never going to be a Yakuza. But I guess now you can die like one at lea-"_

There was a sudden splotch of red. Blood splattered over Hideki's face, getting in his eyes and even some in his mouth. Hajime had reached up, throwing a cupped handful of blood into hideki's face, surreptitiously collected from his own knife wound.

Hideki grimaced in shock and annoyance as he was blinded, albeit temporarily. He reached up to try to clear his eyes. But before he could even see, Hajime was back on his feet. He full body tackled Hideki to the ground with all his strength, causing him to drop his knife. Hajime managed to pin him down with his body weight and he began a ferocious barrage of punches.

His fist pounded Hideki's face over and over as the young man struggled to get Hajime off of him. The rest of the room was silent. Neither the thugs nor Natsumi spoke as Hajime relentlessly thrashed his opponent. Blood was everywhere at this point. Both of them were covered. It was impossible to tell who the blood belonged to at this point.

Finally Hajime stopped his onslaught. His energy and adrenaline had almost completely run out. Hideki turned his head and spat blood onto the concrete floor. Both of them panted heavily. Hajime reached to the right and picked up the knife that Hideki had dropped, moments before.

Hideki saw him do it, but didn't even attempt to stop him. He closed his eyes as Hajime clutched the knife and raised it into the air.

( _Well I'll be damned_ ) he thought to himself, almost smiling. Hajime brought the knife down fast and hard.

The knife crackled against the concrete, inches from Hideki's head. There was not a sound in the air. The shadowy figures around them stood still and silent, coldy watching the outcome of the fight. Hajime leaned down, as he grabbed Hideki by the hair. He leaned in close to Hideki, their foreheads nearly touching. He whispered

 _"If you…. ever come near Natsumi again…. I'll kill you."_ With that, he stood up. And walked away. He limped over to Natsumi as quickly as he was able to, with his injuries.

The men around the room did not lift a finger to stop him. They just stood there, their stony eyes fixated on their beaten young leader in the center of the room. Hideki lay there staring up at the ceiling. His arms were spread out and his chest rose and fell as he panted. An ironic smile crossed his lips and he bitterly chuckled to himself.

Hajime pulled the tape off of Natsumi's lips, causing her to wince in pain. She spat out the handkerchief that was lodged in her mouth, coughing a bit. She looked down at the floor, her golden hair covering most of her face. She was unable to bring herself to look at Hajime in his current state. Doing so sent daggers into her heart.

Hajime used the knife he had taken from Hideki to start sawing at the tape around Natsumi's body. He was feeling dizzy and light headed. He had one goal in mind and that was to free Natsumi before he faded away.

 _"Why…..,"_ she whispered, as fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. _"Why didn't you just walk away? What were you thinking? What's wrong with you?"_ she choked.

 _"Someone….. Someone I admire once told me….. I should stand up for myself more."_ he said with a pained grin. Natsumi looked up into his eyes. Her cheeks were tinted red. She closed her eyes, as Hajime clasped her hand in his.

Natsumi bit her lip, stifling back the tears. She took a deep breath, and exhaled sharply.

 _"Yeah. And then right after that, the same jerk started ordering you around."_ She said managing to form a weak smile. She clutched his hand tightly.

" _Oh I haven't forgotten that. Miss "Lactose Intolerant._ " He snickered. They both exchanged wavering, but genuine smiles. Despite everything that had happened, they found comfort in that moment.

 _"Hajime… I-"_ She was cut off as Hajime collapsed to the floor. He couldn't maintain consciousness anymore, with his level of blood loss. Time seemed to slow down for her, in total horror, as she saw him fall. Natsumi's pupils dilated and she cried out.

 _"Hajime! Hajime!"_ she called desperately. _"Please get up! You can't die here! Hajime,"_ she pleaded, as tears welled in her eyes. Then she looked up to see a figure standing over her. It was Hideki. He knelt down and picked up the knife off the floor.. Natsumi looked up at him with pale terror stricken on her face.

Hideki took the knife and brought it closer to Natsumi. Then he aimed it downward and finished cutting away the tape that bound her wrists. Natsumi looked up at him with shock for a moment. Then she stood up to throw a punch at his face. It collided with his jaw, but it didn't have much of an effect.

He turned his head back to look at her, unphased by her punch. Natsumi was fuming. She glared at him with a red hot intensity. She wanted to tear him limb from limb. However, as their gazes remained locked. Natsumi noticed something different. She couldn't detect the same intense malevolence from before. He made no snide remarks or threats. Hideki calmly knelt down beside Hajime. He slung hajime's arm over his shoulder and stood up, raising Hajime to his feet. Natsumi also rushed over to support Hajime's other side.

 _"If you want your boyfriend to live, we are going to need to get him to a hospital. He has about 30 minutes. Maybe less."_


	9. Chapter 9

Hajime's eyes slowly opened, taking in a blinding flood of light from the room around him. It took a good 30 seconds for his eyes to adjust. He had a sudden sense of deja vu. This was the same kind of hospital room that he ended up in after the Sato incident. He noticed he had an IV needle in his arm. His head was wrapped in a bandage and his hands were almost entirely wrapped in gauze. His stomach had multiple stitches and the wound was expertly dressed. He had an adhesive bandage covering the cut on his cheek, which would certainly become a permanent scar.

There was rows of beds around him. This was way too familiar of a situation. He looked around, expecting to see Fuyuhiko by his bed again, but he saw something different. It was a girl in a nurse outfit. She had long purple-black hair. She was bent over one of the other beds, straightening the other sheets. A melodious song filled the room as she hummed to herself while she was working. She hadn't noticed that he was awake yet. Hajime cleared his throat and spoke.

" _Uh…. excuse me,_ " he asked, as the girl froze up. She immediately stopped humming. A shiver went up her spine and she stood up rigidly straight, with her hands at her sides. She turned around quickly, her face red and blushing.

 _"Ah! You're awake?!"_ she exclaimed as her face became redder and redder. She began bowing repeatedly. " _I'msorryI'msorryI'msorry-"_ she repeated over and over in dizzyingly rapid succession. Hajime was taken aback, immediately.

 _"Woah, woah, why are you apologizing to me? You didn't do anything wrong"_ he said, deeply perturbed. The girl shook her head and closed her eyes.

 _"No, I made a terrible mistake. I subjected you to my horrible singing voice, unsolicited. I'm so ashamed. Please forgive me!"_ she cried. Hajime was still baffled by this bizzare girl.

 _"What are you talking about? Your voice is great and… Wait. Where are we exactly? What hospital is this?"_ he asked, looking around. The girl stopped her rambling and incessant bowing.

 _"Huh? We are in the Hope's Peak Hospital. You are a reserve course student here, aren't you, Mr. Hinata?"_

 _"Yeah, that's right, and who are you? Are you a student here?"_ he asked curiously, noticing that she didn't look nearly old enough to be a professional nurse. She also looked familiar.

 _"W-what? You want to know about… me?"_ she responded, blushing slightly. _"M-my name is Mikan, Mikan Tsumiki. I-Im th-the Ultimate High School Level Nurse… I volunteer at this hospital any days that I can... That's all there is to say. Im sorry that I'm not very interesting"_ she self denigrated once again.

 _"Hey, you're super interesting. The Ultimate Highschool Level Nurse? That sounds like a great talent. I'm sure you help a lot of people"_ he said, trying to reassure the girl. As Mikan continued to babble and protest, the door to the room opened up. Fuyuhiko stepped in. He tilted his head to look around Mikan and saw that Hajime was awake.

 _"I need to speak to Hajime alone, Mikan,"_ he said calmly and seriously. Mikan fidgeted nervously and nodded her head.

 _"Yes of course! Please excuse me!"_ she said as she quickly shuffled out of the room. Fuyuhiko walked up to Hajime's bedside.

 _"You look like shit, man."_

 _"This feels like deja vu. Haven't we done this before?"_ Hajime asked with a smirk. Fuyuhiko closed his eyes and a smile crept across his face as well.

 _"Well, you just can't stop getting your ass kicked. So, here we are again."_

 _"Hey, this time I actually won."_

 _"Tch… Don't get cocky. By all accounts there's no way you should have survived... but you did. You beat that son of a bitch,"_ he said, putting his hand on Hajime's shoulder. _"You didn't just save Natsumi, but-"_

 _"Natsumi! Where is she?! What happened after I passed out?! Is she ok?!_ "Hajime interrupted, jolting to attention and kicking himself for not thinking about it sooner.

 _"Calm down! Natsumi's fine. She's back home for now, under protection. We will talk about that later. Now quit interrupting me. I've got something to say."_

Hajime managed to calm himself down, knowing that Natsumi was out of danger.

 _"This is about more than just Natsumi. You single handedly prevented another clan war. You don't know how many lives you saved, last night."_

Hajime was shocked by the seriousness and earnestness in Fuyuhiko's eyes. Hajime could also see respect in Fuyuhiko's gaze. Hajime had performed a miraculous feat for the Kuzuryu, either though luck or by power of will. Probably the former.

 _"I just did what anyone would do. I couldn't just run away. You would have done the same thing."_ Hajime said, humbly. Fuyuhiko sighed and shook his head.

 _"That's beside the point. Geez, learn how to take a goddamn compliment. Anyway, we've got other things to discuss. I need to fill you in on what's going on."_ he said, before pacing around to Hajime's bed to look out the window.

 _"After your fell unconscious, Natsumi brought you to the hospital, with the help of Hideki. The Hope's Peak Hospital is one of the best in the nation and it has tight security. So, she made a good call on that one."_

"Woah, hold on minute. What do you mean? Why would Hideki help us?" Hajime asked, in shock. Why would the man responsible for this fiasco try to save his life?

 _"Don't ask me. I've been ordered to stay away from him. Which is lucky for him, because Peko and I would do way worse to him than what you did,"_ Fuyuhiko scorned, angrily clenching his fist. Hajime believed that

 _"So, what happens now?"_ Hajime asked, solemnly.

 _"Well, you pretty much fucked up his entire plan. He had a lot of guys rallying behind him, but once you knocked him on his ass, the game was over. They weren't gonna follow him in his little uprising after that"_ Fuyuhiko explained.

 _"But… things were already bad between the clans. Wouldn't this incident alone be enough to push things over the edge?"_ Hajime inquired, feeling uneasy.

 _"It was damn close, Hajime. They had to schedule an emergency meeting because of it. It was agreed that neither clan's leadership wanted this to break out into war. But if word of the incident got out, it might force their hand. So, they agreed that the best course of action was to bury the incident."_

 _"Bury it? You mean pretend like it didn't happen? You mean that Hideki won't have to pay for what he did to Natsumi?"_

 _"And for what he did to_ ** _you_ **_, don't forget… and basically, yeah."_ Fuyuhiko said, regretfully. _"Look, I know it sucks. Do you think him happy about it? Spoiler, I'm not. But for now lets just enjoy the fact that this shit is over. You beat him at his own game. He is never going to get what he wants. Everything could have gone worse. A lot fucking worse."_

Hajime was a bit surprised by Fuyuhiko's tone. It was more collected and mature. He was starting to sound more like his father.

 _"What should I do now?"_ Hajime asked. The only thing on his mind was seeing Natsumi.

 _"You don't need to do anything, Hajime. You've done enough. Just relax and heal up. We'll take care of things from here."_ He said as he began to walk towards the door. He stopped once he got to the doorway.

 _"And you'll get to see my sister soon enough. So be patient, alright? Get some rest,"_ he reassured Hajime before leaving.

Hajime let out a sigh of relief. A great weight had been lifted from his shoulders, but he still desperately wanted to see Natsumi. He took his phone off of a nearby charger and attempted to text her.

 _"_ ** _Hey. I'm awake and doing good. I talked to your brother. How are you holding up?_ **_"_

He didn't get any immediate response. He set his phone down, disappointedly. He wondered what she was doing right now. He wondered if she was still shaken up from the incident.

As if to interrupt his thoughts, the door to the room opened. Hajime had a fleeting hope that it was Natsumi, coming to visit him like she did before, maybe carrying a bento box of homemade food.

That wasn't quite the case. As the door opened, a familiar figure stepped into the doorway. It was a young man with dark hair and a familiar smile.

 _"Hello Hajime. I hope you don't mind me dropping in like this,"_ he said.

Hideki was wearing a T shirt and pants. He had a bandage wrapped around his head, a bandage over the bridge of his nose, and gauze wrapped around his knuckles. He walked in and Hajime just glared at him.

 _"What the hell are you doing?"_ Hajime asked bluntly, glaring at him.

 _"Not a lot. My doctor said to take it easy, but I got super bored. so I'm just sort of wandering around the hospi-"_

 _"What are you doing_ ** _here_ **_, Hideki?"_ Hajime reaffirmed, slowly reaching for the button to call a nurse.

 _"I'm not here to pick a fight with you, Hajime. We already duked it out. It's all in the past"_

 _"You have 5 seconds to leave,"_ Hajime said, with his finger over the button.

 _"You might not want to do that, Hajime. See, after you passed out, Natsumi and I brought you back here. We told them that the three of us were attacked by a gang of thugs. And to keep the story consistent, I obviously had to also stay at this hospital as well. So, if you make a big scene, our story might start to fall apart. And that would just be awkward for everyone."_ He explained.

Hajime curled his fingers and shifted away from the button. Hideki was right. If he did that, it could really complicate things. The clans were trying to sweep this whole thing under the rug and any incident or investigation might jeopardize that.

 _"Both our clans have decided to maintain the status quo. Looks like my little plan failed completely."_ he said, almost laughing, as if it was as inconsequential as burning an omelet.

 _"I don't have anything to say to you, Hideki. Just leave."_ Hajime said bluntly

 _"That's fine. You're a better listener anyway, Hajime. You always were,"_ he said, pulling up a chair and sitting next to him. Hajime kept a harsh glare fixed on Hideki. Conversely, the young Yakuza seemed totally calm.

 _"Just so you know, I don't hold any ill will towards you for what happened last night."_

Hajime wanted to roll his eyes at that. Hideki was the one who started it all in the first place.

 _"What happened, happened. I set my plan in motion and I wasn't strong enough to see it through. It was a battle of wills. It was pure, it was fair, and I have to respect the outcome. My will was not strong enough. Yours was stronger. I can't possibly hate you for that."_

Hajime looked down and sighed.

 _"Why does it have to be this way?"_ Hajime asked. To which, Hideki just looked at him, puzzlingly, unsure of what he meant.

 _"You don't have to live this kind of life, Hideki._ "

Hideki just chuckled and shook his head.

 _"I appreciate the advice, but I know who I am. I know what I want to be. Someday, you'll understand where I'm coming from, Hajime. You will find yourself doing things you never imagined you were capable of. And you'll have to find a way to justify it yourself."_ He said, patting Hajime on the shoulder. He then stood up and stretched.

 _"That's all I wanted to say. I'm going back to my room. The nurses said I still need to stay a few more days, but after that I'll be out of your hair. I wish you luck in this path you've chosen."_

He got up to leave, but stopped at the doorway. _"Oh wait, there was one more thing I wanted to say,"_ he said, turning to Hajime. _"One day, we will cross paths again. And I don't intend on showing you any mercy when that day comes. You spared my life, I saved yours. That makes us even. Next time we meet, it will be as enemies. Nothing more, nothing less"_

 _"I'll be ready"_ Hajime said calmly and resolutely.

 _"Hmh"_ Hideki chuckled. _"You better be. You made an oath to protect her, didn't you? But I will make an oath to you. I swear to you, Hajime. I will live to see the Kuzuryu Empire fall."_ He said before turning and leaving.

Hajime exhaled a sharp sigh of relief as Hideki left, finally easing the tension in the room. He looked down at his hand, which was still wrapped in bandages from his fight with Hideki, painted with scars that would never fully heal. He clenched his fist tightly.

The next day was bright and clear. There was a gentle breeze blowing through the courtyards of Hope's Peak. An older man and a teen girl approached the hospital. The blonde young woman was in a hurry and rushed the burly, grey haired man as they walked. She tapped her foot impatiently as he caught up to her.

 _"Come on uncle! Get the lead out of your ass already!"_ Natsumi complained, with her hands on her hips. She had a sneer of annoyance as Satsuo caught up to her.

 _"Hold your horses, kiddo. When ya get to be my age, you like to take things slow. Besides, your boyfriend's not going anywhere."_ he remarked teasingly, which made Natsumi's cheeks light up.

 _"Wha… how did you… ugh!"_ she stormed ahead, her cheeks flushed. Satsuo just smirked and continued along. Eventually they came up to Hajime's room. Natsumi flung the door open and rushed inside. Hajime was in the middle of eating and he looked up surprised as Natsumi suddenly hugged his torso tightly. Hajime almost choked on his food, and dropped his bowl onto the floor, making fried rice go everywhere.

 _"N-Natsumi?"_ Hajime stammered in surprise as Natsumi buried her face against his chest.

 _"Shut up…. Just be quiet…_ " she said, softly.

Hajime smiled warmly and wrapped his arms around her. They stayed like this for a very long time. Natsumi eventually pulled away and rubbed her nose with her forearm, sniffling a bit.

 _"It was really stupid what you did back there. I'm still pissed off at you,"_ she muttered, but then looked Hajime in the eyes. _"But thank you Hajime… for rescuing me,"_ she said with slight blush on her cheeks.

Hajime smiled. _"You don't have to thank me, Natsumi…..,"_ he trailed off as his smile became more mischievous, _"but... if you want to really thank me, later when we get some time alone,maybe we could-_ "

He was interrupted as a strong hand placed itself on his shoulder. A familiar voice spoke.

 _"You could what? Hmmm?"_ Satsuo said with a sly grin, standing behind Hajime. He looked down at him with a sly grin. _"What are you planning to do with my precious niece?"_ he asked as Hajime looked up with a pale face. Natsumi blushed crimson and was speechless.

 _"Heh heh…. I uhh….."_ Hajime blathred awkwardly before Satsuo put him in a playful headlock.

 _"OW OW! Dammit!"_ Hajime cursed as Satsuo laughed heartily. Natsumi huffed angrily and clenched her fists at her sides.

 _"Uncle! Cut it out!"_ she whined angrily.

 _"I get it, kiddos. I ain't that old. I know what you get up to. You two lovebirds will get to have your time, but Romeo here needs to focus on healing up first. Got it, Casanova?"_ he said as Hajime still struggled in the headlock.

 _"Y-yes sir"_ he managed to get out as he could barely breathe. Satsuo let go and chuckled. Hajime breathed a sigh of relief afterwards and rubbed the back of his neck. _"What are you doing here, Satsuo? I didn't expect you to pay me a visit."_

Satsuo scratched his nose and smirked. _"Natsumi's father didn't want her traveling without an escort. But he also wanted her to keep a low profile and keep it off the books. So, he called in a personal favor."_

 _"I cant thank you enough, Satsuo."_ Hajime said with a slight bow. Satsuo laughed at this.

 _"Hey, don't be thanking me. Natsumi was the one who insisted on making it happen. She wouldn't stop talking about you the whole time"_ He said, patting Natsumi on the head. The blonde girl still blushed furiously.

 _"Hey, Natsumi. I'm gonna have to steal Hajime away from you for a few minutes. I need to talk about some stuff, in private. Would you mind stepping out?"_

Natsumi opened her mouth to protest but then looked over at Hajime. She didn't want to leave his side ever again, but she complied.

 _"We'll talk later. Ok Hajime?"_ she said, before reluctantly walking out. She slid the door closed behind her. Hajime looked up at Satsuo curiously. The burly man cleared his throat.

 _"Matsu-san gave me a message to deliver to you, Hajime. This is a direct message from him."_ He said as he walked over to Hajime and placed his hand on the young man's shoulder. _"It's time, Hajime. The Oyabun and the higher ups are all in agreement. They want you to be part of the family. They want you to officially join the Kuzuryu-gumi."_

Hajime was stunned. He didn't know what to say

 _"I… don't know what to say. I'm honored. It's… a lot to take in,"_ Hajime said, wiping his forehead. He wondered what Natsumi would think and how this would affect his course in life. Was he really prepared to dedicate his life to a criminal organization?

 _"I know it is. But as men, we gotta step up and make these choices. You've reached the point of no return. You gotta make a choice now. They're waiting to hear it. So what's it gonna be, Hajime?_ " he asked, crossing his arms.

Hajime could barely believe what he was hearing, but he didn't leave Satsuo hanging for long.

" _Like you have to ask… I'm in,_ " he said with a determined grin. Satsuo also smirked.

 _"Not a moment of hesitation. Just what I wanted to hear."_ Satsuo said, giving Hajime a heavy pat on the back that knocked the wind out of him. _"Now, let's get into some of the details. I'm sure you've got a lot of questions. I'm here to answer them."_

On the inside, Hajime was apprehensive. He would be a fool not to be. But for some reason, this felt right. He knew this was where he wanted to be. Whatever the consequences were, he would face them, as long as he could remain by her side.

Natsumi stood outside of the hospital entrance, crossing her arms. She got tired of waiting outside the door and decided to get some fresh air. It was a nice day out, after all. She crossed her arms and huffed a little, in annoyance. She came here to be with Hajime, not to have Satsuo spend the whole time talking business. Her grumblings were interrupted as a female voice spoke to her. It was gaudy and enthusiastic.

 _"Well well. What do we have here?"_ She said, placing her hand on Natsumi's shoulder. Natsumi jumped in shock and turned around and saw a busty girl with long pigtails standing in front of her. She had a wide grin and an ecstatic look in her eyes. She was uncomfortably close to Natsumi, causing her to step back a bit. She was put off by this girl immediately.

 _"W-what do you want? Who the hell are you?"_ Natsumi asked in annoyed tone. There was a second girl standing behind her, with short black hair and an emotionless expression. The busty fashionista raised her hands in a nonchalant manner.

 _"Oh, don't mind me. Im Junko Enoshima, the Ultimate Des-... Er, I mean Fashionista. At your service. But that's not important. I'm much more interested in you baby-girl. I think I recognize you. You're that Yakuza girl from the reserve course, aren't you?"_ she said, leaning from side to side, looking at Natsumi from different angles, once again getting uncomfortably close.

 _"Hey! Back off!"_ Natsumi growled angrily, growing more and more weary of the prying, pig tailed teen.

 _"You're a legit yakuza aren't you? One of the Kuzuryu heirs. That is just so amazeballs. Yakuza are all the rage right now. I'm a big fan"_ she said with avid interest. Natsumi just looked at Junko with a look of perplexion and annoyance.

 _"What? Do you want a fuckin' autograph? Piss off!"_ Natsumi spat with venom in her voice. But Junko was unphased. Junko just crossed her arms and grinned smugly.

 _"Whoo, you've got a chip on your shoulder, girl. But that's what I would expect from the Yakuza princess herself."_ Junko said with teasing elbow nudge. _"Personally I dig the bad girl persona and I could really use someone like you for this project I'm working on."_

Natsumi scoffed and stepped away from Junko. What was she going on about? Natsumi didn't care. She just wanted her to go away.

 _"Not interested."_ Natsumi said, as she turned to walk away. Junko dashed and slid in front of her, blocking her path. _"Don't leave me hanging, Miss Mafiosa. There's something in it for you. Don't you wanna get out of that crummy reserve course and be with your dear big bro? I can help you do that. And you'll be able to give a giant middle finger to that 2bit reserve course."_ Junko said, putting her hand on Natsumi's shoulder.

Natsumi seethed in anger and glared at Junko. Her fist was clenched at her sides. Months ago, she would have been very interested in what she was offering, and admittedly it did still sound somewhat enticing. However, Natsumi's interests had changed. She wouldn't be so easily swayed.

 _"You're really starting to push my buttons, bitch,_ " Natsumi sneered, _"I tried to be polite, but it looks like I gotta teach you some manners"_ the blonde girl said as she raised her hand to punch at Junko. But before she could even throw the punch, her wrist was grabbed in a tight vice grip. She turned to see the black haired girl casually holding her wrist. Her reflexes were almost inhumanly fast and her grip strength was painful. Natsumi didn't even see her move.

 _"No need to be so hostile. We can both help each other get what we want. This could be a really uplifting business arrangement. All you have to do is come with me."_ Junko said, placing her thumb on Natsumi's chin. Natsumi felt chills up her spine.

 _"I…. I'm not going anywhere with you!"_ Natsumi stammered out as the girls had her trapped. Then a voice interrupted them. It was a burly, male voice.

 _"I hope I'm not interrupting anything. Are these friends of yours, Natsumi?"_ Satsuo said, as he stood there, eyeing the other two girls suspiciously. Mukuro let go of Natsumi's wrist and Junko backed away from Natsumi. Junko turned on the charm and put her hands behind her back, looking as cute as possible.

 _"We're just acquaintances, sir. We were having a little chat, but, we'll be going now. Lets go, Mukuro,"_ Junko said before turning to Natsumi. _"I'll see you around, Natsumi"_ She said with a wink. Natsumi breathed a sigh of relief as Junko waltzed away and beckoned Mukuro to follow her.

 _"What was that about?"_ Satsuo asked, as the two girls entered the hospital. Natsumi scratched her head.

 _"I have no clue. They were just a couple of fuckin wierdos."_ She muttered. Something about that Junko girl made her skin crawl.

Natsumi yawned and looked down at the plate in front of her. She grabbed a french fry and munched on it, unenthusiastically. The atmosphere of the burger restaurant was buzzing with chatty teens, as usual. Couples and cliques congregated here. It was a common meeting place for many of the Hope's Peak students, both reserve and main course.

Across from Natsumi sat a petite girl with a yellow hoodie and mismatched eye colors. The two of them had developed an odd sort of bond over the past few months. Aiko sipped her milkshake while a girl with short brownish-green hair and glasses sat beside her. Her name was Karen Kisaragi.

Karen was mild mannered and reserved in her demeanor. It would be a stretch to call her socially withdrawn, however she did not have an overly outgoing personality. Quite the opposite of Natsumi, she had exceptional manners and tact, which made her a natural favorite among her teachers. She quickly earned a seat as the student council secretary. She was a friend of Aiko's and had only recently became acquainted with Natsumi.

 _"You look tired, Natsumi. Are you ok?"_ Aiko inquired, blinking her green and blue eyes curiously. natsumi was quickly broken from her distracted trance.

 _"Eh? What do you mean? I'm fine,"_ she brushed off as she picked up her burger and chomped on it. Aiko frowned slightly. The ears of her hoodie seemed to droop in disappointment.

 _"I know a lot's been going on with you. I would say it's none of my business, but... it actually kinda is. I may not be able to help, but there's a chance i might."_ The girl insisted. Natsumi looked back at her in surprise. Karen spoke up too.

 _"You should listen to Aiko. It's not healthy to keep these things all to yourself,_ " Karen injected.

" _I'm alright guys. Really. There was some family drama recently, but everything's all good now,"_ Natsumi explained.

 _"Family drama? Like the mall incident?"_ Karen inquired. Natsumi was taken off guard and she looked at Karen in surprise. Aiko glared at Karen grumpily.

 _"Karen! I told you not to bring that up!"_

 _"Wait, you know about that?"_ Natsumi asked.

Aiko looked back at her nervously. _"Well, yeah. Everyone's been talking about it since it happened. There are videos of it online with millions of hits,"_ she said, taking out her phone. She showed Natsumi one of the videos and there are literally tens of thousands of comments.

Natsumi was speechless for a moment. She didn't know how to even react to this. That was one of the most terrifying events of her life and it was treated as some kind of reality show by these people.

 _"I don't wish to alarm you, but there has been a lot of talk going around about you, Natsumi. This is the second time you've made the national news. And then there's sudden enrolment and departure of Hideki Minamoto, which is also suspicious, considering his family's history with yours. There is a lot of speculation going on,"_ Karen added.

 _"Ugh, this is fucking ridiculous,"_ Natsumi exasperated, angrily. _"Didn't these people's parents ever warn them to keep their noses out of yakuza business. No offense, but that goes for you guys too. You shouldn't be reading into this stuff."_

Aiko looked a little distraught. _"Sorry Natsumi. We haven't been gossipping about you or anything… Its just that we're concerned about you."_

Karen sipped her drink calmly, closing her eyes. She did not show the same concern as Aiko. _"Well, if i'm going to be honest, Natsumi, i'm more concerned for the school itself."_

Natsumi looked at Karen, suspiciously. _"Oh? And what's that supposed to mean?"_

 _"Ever since the Akutagawa incident, students have shown a growing, unhealthy interest in the Yakuza. It has become a worrying trend. We are seeing rises in delinquency and fights. Even drug use."_

 _"I don't have anything to do with any of that!"_ Natsumi exclaimed angrily, standing up out of her seat.

 _"I didn't say that you did. However, you must understand how all of this looks, from an outsider's perspective. Your presence here could be considered a destabilizing force at worst and an outright danger to students at best."_

 _"Geez, Karen! Don't say it like that!"_ Aiko flustered nervously, looking back and forth between them.

 _"A danger, huh?"_ Natsumi sneered, assuming a defensive posture.

 _"What if the next time such an event takes place, it happens here at school. Have you considered that?"_

 _"There isn't going to be a next time! All that shit has been settled. You don't know what youre talking about. So quit running your mouth about it."_

 _"Karen isn't trying to accuse you of anything, Natsumi. It's just that… this doesn't just affect you. It could affect all of us. We want you to be more open with us, so we can help you."_

Natsumi sighed exhaustedly and placed her hand on her face.

 _"I get it, Aiko,but things are a little more complicated than that. Telling you about my family business would be more dangerous than keeping you in the dark about it. Just trust me when I say that everything is fine now. You don't have to worry."_

 _"What about Hajime Hinata? I heard he was in the hospital with serious injuries. Did he turn out "fine?"_

Natsumi shot Karen a menacing, contemptuous look. _"Watch it, Karen."_

Aiko sweated nervously as the two other girls locked gazes. Aiko could practically see the sparks flying. She nervously cleared her throat with an unconvincing cough.

 _"How about we talk about something else, guys,"_ she urged them, trying to avoid a fight. Karen straightened her glasses, still casting a suspicious gaze at Natsumi.

 _"Very well. There is something I wanted to tell you, Natsumi. It's the reason I tagged along today. Aiko has been chosen to join the student council."_

Natsumi was still standoffish as Karen changed the subject, but she had a look of surprise as she heard the announcement. It was confusing to her, since Karen was on the school council for the main course.

 _"Wait, what? The student council? Isn't that for main course students?"_

 _"I was surprised too, Natsumi. But apparently they needed a representative from the reserve course,"_ Aiko exclaimed, ecstatically.

 _"Yes. Many in the reserve course feel that there is a widening gap between themselves and the main course. We are attempting to bridge that gap. After all, while the reserve course may not be comprised of students with ultimate talents, they still represent some of Japan's brightest and in many ways reflect the future of the nation."_

Many months ago, Natsumi would have been inconsolable with jealousy for Aiko, but strangely, she felt none of that now. Not an ounce.

 _"Huh. Better late than never, I guess. Congrats Aiko. I'm sure you'll do great,"_ she assured the yellow hooded girl.

 _"Thanks, Natsumi. I'm going to make you proud. I promise,"_ she said with a warm smile.

Hajime approached the gate to the Reserve Course building. This place felt more and more alien to him. Perhaps alien wasn't the right choice of words. It like he was a visitor, rather than a resident. His reasons for being there grew more and more vague and irrelevant.

He wore his usual uniform which felt noticeably tighter on him than it had when he first arrived, specifically in the upper body. He bore an obvious vertical scar on his cheek. It was a permanent souvenir of his fight with Hideki. His hands and knuckle also bore scars. They were certain to garner him unwanted questions and attention throughout the day.

He checked his watch and then stepped inside. He made his way through the halls and glanced around him. He realized that virtually every student had their gaze locked on him, as he walked. Whispers drifted from student to student and none of them made eye contact with him. Hajime adjusted his collar with this finger, uncomfortably. He tried to put it out of his mind as he approached the classroom. He grabbed the handle of the door and slid it open. His mild anxiety goaded him to yank the door open more quickly and violently than he normally would have. It swung open and interrupted the teacher in mid lecture.

The man dropped his marker and stared at Hajime, agape. All the other students looked at him, including Natsumi in the back. There was an awkward and heavy silence in the air.

 _"Uh… hey. The hospital discharged me a few days early. So, I'm here for class."_

The tension in the room lessened slightly. The teacher collected himself and cleared his throat.

 _"I see. Very good. You may take your seat, Mr. Hinata."_

Hajime bowed and thanked the man, before walking over to sit beside Natsumi. Hajime turned to the blonde girl and gave her a reassuring smile, which she returned. It was a surreal experience. Everything seemed to have reset to zero. They were back where they had started. Neither of them were the same person they were last year, but things had returned to a semblance of normalcy. At least, that is what it seemed.

Hajime and Natsumi found themselves at the same old lunch table. Surprisingly, they both sat in a long uncomfortable silence. So much had happened to them. Returning to normal life was a surreal experience. The students who bussled and yammered throughout the cafeteria had no grasp of what the two of them had been through. Hajime set down his chopsticks and sighed.

 _"So… I've been getting weird looks from people, all day."_

 _"Yeah, no shit,"_ Natsumi responded. _"Before you got here, they were all focused on me. Its so annoying. They really need to get a life."_

 _"What's going on with them?"_

 _"Apparently it's been like this ever since… what happened at the mall."_

 _"Yeah… Chiaki mentioned that. Apparently there are a ton of videos of it online."_

 _"I didn't even think about that until someone told me about it. With everything that happened, it was the last thing on my mind. Having all these people speculating and obsessing about us really creeps me out,"_ Natsumi grumbled, apprehensively looking around the room.

 _"It'll pass. They will lose interest soon enough. You shouldn't worry about it too much,"_ he assured her.

 _"You're probably right…"_ she sighed.

 _"We've been through so much crap already. A little gossip isn't going to hurt us."_ Hajime assured her with a grin.

 _"Yeah. The worst is behind us. We need to focus on what happens next."_

Natsumi looked down at her food for a moment. She glanced at Hajime and had a look of hesitation. She unthinkingly fidgeted and twirled her hair on her finger.

 _"So, uh… Hajime… Later, do you want to-"_

Just then Hajime interrupted her as a thought popped into his head.

 _"Oh yeah, Natsumi. There's something I need to tell you. It's about what Satsuo said to me."_

Natsumi was surprised and a little disappointed as Hajime carelessly interrupted her.

 _"W-what is it?"_.

 _"He told me that your father wants me to officially join the Kuzuryu."_ Hajime spoke quietly, so that no nearby eavesdroppers could hear it. Natsumi's eyes went wide.

 _"What?!... What did you say to him?"_

 _"As if you need to ask. Of course I accepted it. In a few weeks i'm going to be officially inducted as a member"_

Natsumi stared at him, unable to come up with the right words to sum up what she was feeling.

 _"Hajime… Are you sure you want to do this? Do you realize what you're committing to?"_

 _"You aren't going to talk me out of it."_

 _"I'm not trying to talk you out of it. I just…"_ she trailed off.

 _"We've had this conversation already."_

 _"I know…"_ Natsumi sighed, looking away. She felt a sudden comforting warmth as Hajime placed his hand on hers.

 _"Whatever happens from on here on. We'll face it together."_ Natsumi gave off a relieved smile, her rosy cheeks showing off more blush than usual.

 _"If anyone hurts you again, I'll be the one to give them a vicious beatdown,"_ Natsumi said, with a sly smile.

Hajime looked over his shoulder at the towers of Hope's peak, towering behind him. He stood on the curb, by the outer gates of the campus. Beside him lay multiple briefcases full of his clothes and personal belongings. He was prepared for the four month trip. Upon becoming a full Kuzuryu member, he was going to undergo training and an internship. It had already been approved by the school, under the guise of a business internship.

Natsumi stood beside him, looking at him nervously. Her heart was heavy in her chest. Hajime starred ahead, attempting to bare the full comprehension of the future that awaited him.

 _"I wish you didn't have to leave so soon. This kinda fucking sucks,"_ Natsumi grumbled.

 _"I'm sorry. I wish they could have put it off until we graduate. But it will be over before we know it."_

 _"Hajime, I need to tell you something… You may be fine with this, but I have to be honest. It still doesn't sit right with me. It... terrifies me. If anything happened to you…"_

She was suddenly interrupted as Hajime pulled her in close for a hug. Her eyes went wide in shock, but she soon closed them and leaned her head on his shoulder, pulling her arms around him.

 _"I promise I'll come back."_

 _"You better… or I'll kick your ass"_ the blonde girl smiled as she savored the warm embrace. The two of them pulled away slightly. The looked into each other's eyes for a moment, neither of them saying a word. The rest of the world melted away, for the both of them. They leaned forward to lock lips.

As they were mere inches away from kissing, there was a female voice from behind them.

 _"Ahem"_

They both turned around to see Peko and Fuyuhiko standing there. How long the two had been standing there, neither Hajime or Natsumi could tell. The embracing couple blushed furiously, and in a panic Natsumi pushed Hajime away from her, nearly causing him to trip over a suitcase. Fuyuhiko looked supremely uncomfortable and blushed as well.

 _"Uhm… I hope we haven't interrupted something,"_ Peko said awkwardly. Hajime barely caught his balance and quickly straightened his clothes, clearing his throat.

 _"N-no. You aren't interrupting anything. Its fine. Heh heh…"_ he laughed awkwardly.

 _"We came to see you off, but here you are getting freaky with my sister,"_ Fuyuhiko grumbled. Natsumi's cheeks were bright red. She angrily stomped her foot.

 _"We weren't getting freaky! Don't make assumptions like that, big bro!"_

 _"If you wish to express your affection for Hajime, we would request you restrain from public displays, Master Natsumi. As they say, please get a room,"_ Peko stated, to which Natsumi recoiled in mortification.

Hajime couldn't help but smile. In that moment, he realized how much he was going to miss all of them. Not just Natsumi, but the others as well. _"Thanks for coming, guys. It means alot. To be honest, I've come to consider both of you to be my closest friends."_

 _"Don't go saying mushy embarrassing shit like that, man."_ Fuyuhiko grumbled. Peko crossed her arms and smiled.

 _"It has been a pleasure working with you Hajime. I hope that our training has helped prepare you for what lies ahead."_

Just then, a black car pulled up to the curb. Natsumi's expression changed to a subtle frown. Hajime turned to her and tried to give her a reassuring smile. Hajime and the driver loaded the bags into the trunk of the car. This was it. For the first time, Hajime was truly setting out on his own. He was leaving everything behind to delve into a whole new world.

His thoughts were interrupted as his sleeve was grabbed by Natsumi. She leaned in and planted a gentle kiss on his cheek. _"_

 _You better keep your promise,"_ she whispered.


	10. Chapter 10

Hajime gazed up at the towering skyscraper of dark glass looming over him. The mirrored glass cast an upside down reflection of the streets below and the buildings on the opposite side.

He had finally arrived at Oshigori Tower, the headquarters of the Kuzuryu-gumi. It was surreal that a criminal enterprise would have such an open and prominent place in the city, but he remembered that much of the Kuzuryu's power was in legitimate businesses and real estate. So in a strict legal sense, this was simply a normal corporate headquarters.

Hajime and the Yakuza escorts that accompanied him, stepped through the automatic doors and into the pristine lobby of the building. The first thing that caught his eye was an ornate, golden chandelier that hung above them. The lobby of the building seemed to be modeled loosely around the famous lobby of the empire state building in America, and it generally had a western aesthetic.

As they approached the desk, the clerk eyed Hajime suspiciously, wondering what a teen was doing there. The escorts stepped forward and conversed with the man.

" _This is Hajime Hinata. He is scheduled to meet with the Oyabun at 11AM_ ," one of them explained. The clerk's expression changed from one of grizzled scepticism to one of surprise.

" _Oh. Of course. I didn't expect you to arrive so early. The Oyabun is in his office. I will tell him you are here and I will unlock the elevator for you. Please proceed_ ," the man said with a light bow.

The elevator ride was a long one. The building was 45 stories tall, but there was another reason the elevator seemed to take forever. It had given Hajime time to really think about what was happening around him. He knew the nature of the commitment he was making. There was no turning back, at least not without losing a pinky finger. He had come too far to hesitate now, but unease still krept up within him.

He also considered something for the first time. Was the Oyabun aware of the nature of his relationship with Natsumi? He had to be, at this point. That thought really made Hajime more nervous than anything.

The door opened with a ding and Hajime stepped out. Awaiting him was the Oyabun and two other men, both of which Hajime had caught a few glimpses of before. One was a tall man with silver hair, waved backward, out of his face. Hajime had a difficult time determining his age, but he assessed that it was around the same as the Oyabun. The man had a sword slung over his shoulder and a small gun concealed under his coat. He wore black straight pants with a silver belt, and a loose, white overcoat over a tight black undershirt. His gun holster strap could be seen across his chest, supporting the handgun that hung under his left shoulder.

There was also another man who was much younger. He was in his 20s and he had a disgruntled, annoyed look that never seemed to leave his face. He had dark, short hair and a muscular frame. He gave off an aura of hostility and irritability. He looked like the kind of guy to avoid. His face showed scars and remnants of past fights, the most prominent of which, was one that crossed over the bridge of his nose. Hajime could catch only a small portion of the tattoos sprawled across his chest. The man eyed Hajime with a look of unamusement and mild contempt.

Matsushige's hands were clasped and resting on his desk. He smiled warmly as he saw Hajime enter. He raised his hand in a welcoming gesture.

" _Hajime, my boy. It's great to see you back up on your feet. You got here a little earlier than we expected, but that's perfectly fine with me. We have much to discuss._ "

Hajime felt his worries eased, simply by the charisma and welcoming nature of the Oyabun.

 _"Thank you sir. I've been looking forward to this, since I got your message,"_ Hajime said, as he scooted back one of the chairs in front of the Oyabun's desk and took a seat. As soon as he did, the angry looking young man snapped at him.

 _"I don't recall the Oyabun offering you a seat. Know your place as a subordinate and show some damn respect,"_ the man ordered him, scathingly. Hajime's eyes went wide and he felt shame and embarrassment welling up inside him. He stood up quickly, at a more formal stance of attention.

 _"I-I apologize. I didn't mean to be so casual."_ He said with a bow. The Oyabun just chuckled.

 _"Easy there, Takuo. Don't freak the boy out. He can have a seat if he wants. I was just about to offer him one. Hajime is like family. There's no need to be so formal."_

( _L-like family?!)_ Hajime exclaimed in his mind. Was he serious about that? Takuo also looked bewildered by the statement, before turning his head and letting out an annoyed " _tch_." The gray haired man smirked at Takuo.

Hajime took his seat again, awkwardly. The Oyabun clapped his hands together and rubbed them. _"Ok, let's get down to business. First, introductions are in order,"_ he said, gesturing towards the men at his sides. _"To my left, is my personal bodyguard and long time friend, Yudai Sagara."_

The gray haired man smiled and raised his hand to wave. He spoke a smooth and well mannered voice. _"So, you're the young man I've heard so much about. Hajime Hinata. The man, the myth… the ahoge,"_ The man said in a humorous tone. _"In all seriousness, you've already done more for the clan than anyone in recent memory. It's an honor to meet you and I look forward to working with you."_

Hajime was deeply humbled by the man's sentiment. He didn't even know what to say to that.

 _"Th-Thanks a lot. The feeling is mutual, Sagara-san."_

The Oyabun seemed pleased with this intro. He then looked to the sulking, disgruntled man to his right. _"And this is Takuo. He is the leader of the west enforcement branch of the second youngest ever. He's savagely competent. I know he may look like a stick in the mud, but he's actually a sweetheart when you get to know him."_

 _"Like hell I am! Don't give the kid any fuckin' ideas!"_ the man growled angrily. The Oyabun just chuckled. Takuo turned to Hajime and Hajime shrinked back a bit, from the sheer intimidation of the man's glare. He didn't say anything to him, but the two locked gazes for a moment. In that moment, Hajime couldn't help but feel an overwhelming aura of disdain coming from the man, before he finally turned away.

The Oyabun continued. _"You two are going to get to know each other a lot more over the next few months. Takuo is going to be in charge of your training and will be acting as your mentor. Essentially you will be his apprentice."_

 _"I remember Satsuo mentioning that."_ Hajime noted.

 _"As much as I would love to make you an official member of the clan today, there are still steps involved. Even cherished friends of the clan such as yourself still have to abide by certain standards. I'm sure you understand."_

 _"Of course. I want to thank you for giving me this opportunity, sir. I won't let you down."_

Takuo stepped forward. His arms were crossed and he looked down at Hajime with judgement. _"Don't think that this is gonna be a walk in the park, like what you've been through so far. You're gonna get dirty and you're gonna get bloody. I'm not gonna take it easy on you just because these guys wanna treat you like some kind of bigshot."_

 _"I-I understand…"_ Hajime mumbled.

 _"Geez, Takuo. Shoot him again. His soul's still dancing,"_ Sagara quipped as he shot Takuo a sly grin.

 _"Thats our Takuo,"_ the Oyabun smirked, before turning to Hajime, _"this isn't going to be easy, Hajime. I won't sugarcoat it, but I promise you that after this is done, you will be a new man. And you will truly be prepared to protect my daughter. Are you ready?"_

Hajime looked the Oyabun in the eyes. He furrowed his brow in a somber expression of determination.

" _Yes._ "

The gymnasium was hot and humid. The smell of rubber floors, cleaning supplies, and perspiration permeated the air. Hajime wore loose gym pants and a gray hoodie. He followed Takuo as they passed through the rows in between machinery. The gym was owned by the Kuzuryu and was almost exclusively used by members of the clan. From pencil pushers to the rugged enforcers, they all took fitness very seriously. Hajime saw all manner of tattoos among the patrons, most of them showing off their arm sleeves.

A few of the men caught sight of Hajime as he was led in. They whispered amongst themselves and a few of them yelled out things like, _"Look, boys! Fresh meat!"_ and, _"Training with Takuo? RIP, kid."_

Hajime kept his head low and tried to ignore the taunts of the other men. After passing through the main area, he followed Takuo down a long hallway. There were rooms for playing squash and there was a pool where some of the patrons were swimming laps. He and Takuo made their way to one of the back rooms that were used for combat training.

Hajime kicked off his shoes and stepped out onto the sparring pad. The floor was padded, for the purposes of practicing throws and takedowns. Along the walls there were punching bags and foam torsos. Hajime wouldn't be dealing with those, however. His opponent stood with crossed arms, staring Hajime down with a cynical glare. Hajime wore a foam helmet and a pair of lightly padded gloves, as instructed. Takuo also wore these items.

" _Just as a warning, Hinata. This won't be like your little sparring sessions with Pekoyama. This is gonna be a crash course. Emphasis on the "crash." So prepare yourself._ " he said, sternly. Hajime gulped and nodded his head.

" _Yeah. I understa-_ " Hajime tried to say before Takuo dashed towards him and gave him a sharp punch to the jaw, sending him to the floor. Hajime was taken completely off guard. He could taste blood and he rubbed his jaw, gingerly.

 _"What the hell was that?"_

 _"Unless you don't wanna start losing teeth, you better put in your mouth guard before you step into the ring, understand? I'm not paying for your dental work, so it doesn't matter to me."_

Hajime realized that his mouth guard was still in his pocket. He quickly put it in his mouth and stood up, stretching. He eyed Takuo suspiciously and put up his dukes. Takuo's upper lip curled into a sneer before he moved in for more strikes. Hajime vered his head to his left but was still caught with a right hook from Takuo. The devastating punch left Hajime dizzy and frustrated his attempts to dodge successive blows. Takuo was not showing any mercy. He hit Hajime with a sharp stomach jab that nearly made him spit out his mouth guard. He then landed an uppercut on Hajime's jaw, sending him falling onto his back.

 _"Is that it, Hinata? I thought Pekoyama taught you a thing or two, but it looks like she isn't much of a teacher. She should stay in her lane."_ Hajime pulled himself off the floor and took a knee, panting.

 _"Don't talk about Peko that way! She taught me a lot. You haven't taught me anything so far."_

 _"Sure I have. The lessons have already begun. Now get on your feet, so I can teach you some more."_

Hajime's gaze narrowed in anger and he got to his feet. He went to throw a punch at Takuo's face but then canceled it and came around with a surprising sucker punch. It landed squarely on Takuo's abs, but didn't seem to do much. Takuo countered with a direct punch to Hajime's left cheek and then multiple hooks. He socked Hajime in the face over and over, without letting up. Hajime could taste blood and his eyes watered from the flurry of blows. He tried to raise his hands to guard, but it was not enough.

Hajime collapsed to the ground in defeat. His face was looking bruised up already. His vision blurred as he looked up at his opponent.

 _"What kind of sparring is this?! I thought it was supposed to be instructive!"_

The man scoffed and rolled his eyes. _"It_ ** _IS_** _instructive. But I don't think you've gotten the point yet. Get back up"_

Hajime really didn't want to. He wanted to just lay down there and die, but part of him really wanted to take Takuo down a few pegs. He climbed to his feet and once again attempted to attack the man. It went about as well as the previous time. This time Takuo focused more on body shots, completely battering Hajime's ribs and stomach. The gloves prevented any permanent injury or bone breakage, but it still hurt like crazy.

Takuo finished by grabbing Hajie's arm and flipping him over his shoulder onto the ground with a hard smack. The light cushioning of the floor didn't help very much, as Hajime still had the wind knocked out of him. He just laid there. He struggled to keep tears from his eyes. They were tears of humiliation and frustration.

 _"Why?... What's the point of this?! This isn't sparring! You're just... beating the shit out of me!"_

 _"It's about time you figured out what the lesson is,"_ Takuo glared down at him. Hajime looked back up at him in confusion.

 _"You need to get used to the pain of combat. You need to experience it on a regular basis. Not just pussyfooting around and pretending to fight. Playtime is over."_

 _"Yeah, but… You could still pull your punches a bit"_ Hajime grumbled. Takuo scoffed at that.

" _I_ ** _WAS_ **_pulling my punches. If I gave it everything I've got, you wouldn't even be talking right now._ "

Hajime reached up to wipe the blood from his mouth and slid his mouthguard back in. He grimaced as he pulled himself to his feet. His core was aching and his movements were even slower than before. He held his arms up, to more effectively defend his face. He took on a defensive stance and focused on his foot work, as he slowly circled Takuo.

For a few moments, Takuo stood still. He didn't even take up any fighting stance. It was as if he was begging Hajime to attack. Hajime sweated profusely and kept his opponent in his sights. Hajime realized that this standoff had to end at some point.

Hajime moved in for a punch but he instinctively pulled back, just in time to dodge Takuo's counter attack. Like he suspected, the attack was blindingly fast. Hajime didn't have much time to set his plan into motion, because the next thing he knew, Takuo had dashed in close and delivered a palm thrust to Hajime's jaw. Takuo then sent him to the floor with an over the shoulder Ju-Jitsu move.

Hajime was on the floor, once again. He had half a mind to just lay there, rather than subjecting himself to another beat down. Nevertheless he got back on his feet. Takuo gave a dismissive " _Tch_ " and resumed the sparring.

Less than an hour later, Hajime was on his hands and knees, clutching his stomach. Every part of him ached. He was covered in bruises and his body ached with each breath. He felt like he had just fought for his life.

 _"That's enough for today, Hinata. I'm still not impressed with Pekoyama's work, but I can tell you at least know the basics. We have a long way to go, so don't get comfy."_

("Comfy" my ass)

Hajime began to seriously worry. What exactly were they expecting out of him? There was no way he would be able to do this kind of training every day. His body could never take it. He put his hand to his mouth and struggled not to vomit. He looked up to see Takuo was already on his way out.

 _"Make sure you hydrate and eat a lot. Tomorrow we are gonna be hitting the weights. Be here at 6AM sharp,"_ he said as he tossed aside his gloves and made his exit.

Hajime pulled himself to his feet and grabbed a nearby towel. He wiped off his face and neck. When he looked down at the towel, it had blotches of blood on it. He hung it around his neck and limped his way to the locker room, to rinse his face and arms.

Takuo stormed out of the gym but froze as he heard a voice.

 _"You really gave that boy the business, didn't you? You might have gone a little overboard back there, Takuo."_

The grumpy young man turned to see a tall man in a suit. He had slicked back, spiky silver hair and a somewhat lanky figure. His coat was tailored to his slim figure and its sleeves were loose around the wrists. He stood leaning against the brick wall and carried a smug but good natured smirk.

 _"You were watching?"_ Takuo asked, gruffly.

 _"I peeked in there a few times. You really laid into him. You might have been enjoying yourself a little too much,"_ the man said with a sly smile.

 _"Don't patronize me, Sagara. I have my own way of training. You have yours."_

 _"I know, I know. Far be it from me to cramp your style."_

 _"The situation is worse than I thought. He has way too much to learn in too little time. He's nothing more than a regular high school kid, and I've only got 4 months to turn him into a chivalrous enforcer. I can't afford to go easy on him."_

 _"I guess that's why Matsushige ended up picking you to train him, instead of me."_

Takuo furrowed his brow. He couldn't believe that the Oyabun would even consider having his own personal bodyguard train some no-name kid. _"Tch... You're telling me that was on the table? Why is the Oyabun giving this random kid the royal treatment? It makes no sense."_

 _"I'm not quite sure either, but i'm sure he's got a good reason. Just try not to break him, ok?"_

 _"That'll be up to him"_

Hajime's injuries mostly healed up over night. He still had bruises and his jaw ached, but he was able to move around again. He jerked out of bed and checked his phone. As usual, he had a few texts from Natsumi. That was going to be the fuel that got him through the day. After downing a light breakfast, he grabbed his gym bag and headed out.

He arrived to see Takuo standing outside the gym, crossing his arms in his usual standoffish manner. He looked at Hajime and then at his own watch.

 _"5:59. Cutting it pretty close, Hinata,"_ he grumbled.

 _"I'm a punctual person. Is that a problem?"_ Hajime retorted.

 _"No. At least you have_ ** _something_** _going for you,"_ the man muttered. _"Anyway, today we'll be hitting the weights. Let's do this already. I'm ready to be disappointed."_

After changing into gym shorts and a T-shirt, Hajime joined Takuo near the dumbells.

 _"Let me break down the workout routine for you, Hinata. It's' simple enough that even you should be able to grasp it. First of all, we are sticking purely to free weights. If I catch you using a smith machine, it won't be pretty. You'll get the most out of your workouts if you stick to weights. Its as simple as that."_

It was in that moment that Takuo noticed that Hajime was jotting things down in a little notebook with a small pen that he stored in his pocket.

 _"What the hell is that?"_ Takuo asked, annoyed.

 _"I'm just taking notes on this. Don't worry. You don't have to slow dow-"_ Just then Takuo snatched the notebook from his hand and tossed it away.

 _"For fuck's sake, Hinata. You aren't in school anymore. Just commit this shit to memory. It's not rocket science."_

Hajime was embarrassed and a little angry to have his property taken and tossed away like that. Takuo made Fuyuhiko look downright agreeable, by comparison.

 _"Anyway, back to what I was saying. Your workout routine will be simple and easy to remember. You will be doing different 3 exercises for 4 sets each. Many of the exercises will be compound, like squats and deadlifts. You will lift the highest weight that you can for 4-6 reps. If you can't do 4, the weight is too much. If you can do 7, the weight is too low. In between each set, you will rest 2 to 3 minutes, so you can continue to maintain the weight, without reducing it. This may seem like an odd method, but it will give you the most results in the shortest time. Don't deviate from it. Understand?"_

It seemed like a lot to take in at first, but Hajime realized that it was was a relatively simply system, fundamentally. Everything was consistent and uniform. There were no special rules or complex schedules to follow. As far as workouts went, this was something he could commit to memory.

 _"I understand the breakout, but I need to learn the actual exercises that will fill the slots."_

 _"Don't get ahead of me, Hinata. Today I'll be teaching you form and technique. And we'll see what your current limits are. By the time your internship is over, you will be able to lift at least twice as much as you are lifting now. Maybe even more. But that's only if you put in the effort and give it 110%."_

Hajime nodded understandingly. He knew that he was on the low end of the totem pole, in terms of strength. He needed to get the most he could out of these months of training. Despite Takuo's unfriendly demeanor and penchant for beating the crap out of him, Hajime was still grateful to him as a teacher.

The first test that Hajime faced was basic bench presses. Hajime cautiously took a seat on the end of the bench as Takuo piled on 45 Lb. weights on either side of the bar. He slid clips into place to keep the weights stationary.

 _"OK Hinata. Give these a shot,"_ He ordered. Hajime skeptically glanced at the massive weights and felt a strong sense of unease. With the weights and bar combined, it weighed nearly as much as he did. He leaned back and placed his hands on the rough, metal bar above him. There were smooth indentions that wound around the bar, which gave a frame of reference, for hand placement.

 _"We don't have all day, Hinata. Get on with it,"_ the man ordered. Hajime took a few deep breaths to prepare himself, and he then exerted his full body strength, ready to lift the bar off of the metal rack. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, he was unable to even budge the bar at all. He couldn't lift it off of the rack that it rested on. Hajime's visage was tinted red, as he arched his back exerted all his strength.

Some of the other guys in the room snickered and whispered to each other, having a laugh at Hajime's expense. Takuo sighed and placed his hand on the bar.

 _"I can see we're gonna need to start much lower than this,"_ he remarked, stating the blindingly obvious. Hajime panted and blushed. He felt a twinge of inferiority and resentment. This was why he always avoided gyms. They always shined a giant spotlight on his weakness, and it was a thoroughly emasculating experience.

In the end, Hajime was only able to lift a pair of 20 lb weights. Even that was an immense struggle for him and his arms seemed as if they would give out on him at any moment. He struggled through the sets of bench presses, before moving onto military presses and squats. There was an emphasis on compound exercises that targeted a wide variety of muscle groups. They were intense, fatiguing, and quickly drained Hajime's body of oxygen. Despite the relative brevity of the workout, Hajime was absolutely exhausted by the end of it.

Hajime closed his eyes as the warm water flowed over his body, easing his aching muscles and sending sensations of relief through his body. He rested his forearm against the blue tile wall and hung his head. He was still a bit winded from the workout. He was in pain, but it was a good type of pain. He knew that every ounce of pain advanced him towards his goals.

He dried off and stepped out into the locker area. He began to change into his regular, casual clothes, as Takuo soon arrived. Takuo wasn't wearing his shirt, so Hajime got a quick glimpse of his tattoos. The centerpiece was a large, blue foo dog on his chest, snarling at the viewer. Hajime wanted to ask him what it symbolized, but decided against it. Takuo slipped into his usual leather jacket and dangled a silver chain around his neck.

 _"After we're done here, we are going to get someYakiniku. It doesn't matter how hard you work out. If you don't get any protein, it doesn't mean shit."_

Hajime was taken off guard. Was Takuo actually offering to take him out to eat? That was a surprising and unexpected gesture of generosity. Takuo could read those thoughts on Hajime's face.

 _"Don't get so excited. You're paying for your own food,"_ he sneered before walking out. Hajime quickly grabbed his bag and followed him

It felt like a breath of fresh air to be in a normal restaurant, with normal people. It wasn't Yakuza owned or operated by them. The smell of sizzling meat permeated the air and it made Hajime's mouth salivate. He had worked up quite an appetite and he grew more and more eager by the moment.

The waiter led Hajime and Takuo to a room with a grill in the center. They both took a seat and were soon brought fresh strips of meat, along with the proper sauces and vegetables to accompany them. Hajime had only been to this type of restaurant a few times as a kid, but he was familiar with the procedure. Grilling one's own meat was the appeal of these places. Hajime and Takuo used chopsticks to place the meat on the barbecue and watched as the beef popped and sizzled.

Hajime couldn't help but wonder why Takuo had chosen a place like this, but he didn't question him on it. Takuo stared, fixated on the cooking meat, completely ignoring Hajime. It was obvious he wasn't interested in starting up any conversations. Hajime was, once again, in the awkward position of starting up a conversation.

 _"So, um. What's your story?"_ He asked, in a clunky attempt at casual conversation. Takuo looked up at him in annoyance.

 _"What?"_ he asked, unamused.

 _"I mean… Tell me about yourself. We never really got properly introduced."_

 _"You don't need to know anything about me. So do yourself a favor and keep your nose out of it,"_ he stated, bluntly. Hajime was disappointed and frowned slightly as he watched Takuo. The man stoically flipped the meat on the grill, in silence.

 _"I know I don't_ ** _NEED_ **_to. But If we are going to work together, I want to at least know some basic things. Its not asking for much"_

 _"Fuck off," T_ akuo muttered, dismissively. Hajime was silent for a moment.

 _"Are you this nice to everyone? Or am I just special?"_ Hajime asked, sardonically. _"Like, do you have a problem with me or something? Seriously. I want to know."_

Takuo looked at him. He was almost impressed that Hajime was willing to call him out like this. Almost.

 _"Maybe I do."_

Hajime's gaze was locked with his. The only sound in the air was the sizzling of the beef. _"I'll be honest with you Hajime. I'm not convinced that you belong here."_

 _"Is… Is that so?"_ Hajime responded, as his suspicions were confirmed. He couldn't really argue with Takuo on that point.

 _"Up until now, you've just been seeing the Yakuza from the top down. You've gone to parties and gatherings and palled around with the Oyabun's kids. You got in with the high crowd from the very beginning."_

Hajime thought he was beginning to understand. Was Takuo jealous of him? Was that was this was about?

 _"Before you ask if I'm jealous, I can assure you i'm not. I can't stand all that fancy shit. The problem is, that fancy shit is all you know about the Yakuza, at this point. That's all you have been exposed to. You've been given a glamourized, bullshit view of the Yakuza. You haven't started from the bottom. You haven't gotten your hands dirty. You have no idea what we really are,"_ Takuo elaborated, as he pulled his strips of beef off of the grill and threw some fresh strips onto it, to replace them.

Hajime could feel beads of sweat forming on his forehead as Takuo's scathing criticism made a critical impact. Maybe he was right. From the perspective of the average Kuzuryu-gumi member, Hajime had just weaseled his way in and had no real business being there.

 _"I'll learn,"_ Hajime responded. That was all he could say.

 _"Is that so? You think it's that simple?"_ Takuo sneered.

"I don't know if it is, or not…. but i'm not giving up. I have my own reasons for being here. And to be honest, I don't need to justify them to you. All I need from you is to give me the training I need. I'll do whatever you put in front of me."

Inwardly, a feint ember of respect was sparked within Takuo, as Hajime said that. He let out a dismissive scoff. _"Whatever… By the way, your food's burning,"_ he gestured as Hajime realized that black smoke was beginning to rise from his shriveling food.

 _"Oh, crap!"_ he exclaimed as he hurryingly pulled them off the grill and placed them on his plate. For a brief moment, as Hajime was preoccupied with his food, a feint, wry smile crossed Takuo's face.

 **4 Weeks later**

Hajime glumly straightened the bowtie in the bathroom mirror. As he stared down at his watch, for the 100th time, he realized was only halfway through his shift. He sighed to himself and stepped out of the bathroom. He looked around and watched the jubilous crowds, eagerly gambling and drinking throughout the casino. They all seemed to be having the time of their lives, but Hajime certainly wasn't.

After two weeks of constant combat and weight training, Hajime's internship had officially begun. He would be working full time, but was still expected to incorporate training into his schedule. He would be serving at one of the Kuzuryu's many casinos. This wasn't exactly the kind of work that he expected on his internship. This was pure grunt work that all the newbie Yakuza were forced to engage in. It was as laborious and tedious, as it was stressful.

He walked back to the bar where more drinks were being prepared. They were placed onto a tray with circular indentations, to keep the drinks from sliding around.

 _"Take these to table six,"_ the bartender ordered.

 _"Don't you think they've had enough? I don't want to have to clean up another… you know,"_ Hajime responded hesitantly.

 _"The customer's always right, bruh. Besides, the drunker they are, the worse they'll play,"_ the man said with a mischievous wink.

 _"Whatever,"_ Hajime grumbled as he picked up the tray. He had only been working there a few weeks, but he already had the attitude of someone who had worked there 20 years. This was not the kind of work that he was expecting in this internship and he was admittedly becoming a little resentful. He had spent the week getting drinks spilled on him, dealing with belligerent patrons, cleaning the bathrooms, and getting condescended to by people with far more money than manners.

Hajime carried the tray of martini glasses to one of the dice tables. There was a boisterous party of middle aged, affluent gamblers and their wives. To call them "high class" was probably not the most accurate term. They were noisy, rude, and becoming more and more of a nuisance.

Hajime approached them and set the tray down on a nearby stand. A few of the intoxicated patrons noticed his presence.

 _"Ah! It's about time! Hand one over here, sonny boy. Daddys on a winning streak!"_ one of the men barked. His wife, who was noticeably more sober, nudged his shoulder.

 _"Dear, you havent won a game yet,"_ she gently explained to the inebriated businessman.

One of the other older gentleman also interjected. _"Don't sweat it, Kanetake. The first rule of casinos. It doesn't matter if you win or lose, as long as you get blitzed, am I right?"_

Hajime suddenly felt as if some kind of tentacle creature had latched itself onto him and he felt two large, warm orbs pressing against his shoulder. One of the patrons, a busty woman in her 40s with blonde highlights, clutched Hajime's arm. He could immediately smell the alcohol on her breath. The glazed eyes and dopey expression also clued him in that this woman was drunk.

 _"Thanks for the drinks, sweetie. You're a real sweetheart. How about you stay with me. You look like you could use a break. If you want, you could lay your head in my lap for a while,"_ she cooed in a seductive voice.

Hajime's forehead beaded with sweat and he was decidedly not interested in her proposal. However, the drunken woman had a surprisingly strong grip on him and he wasn't sure exactly what he should do. Just then, things went from bad to worse.

 _"Moving in on my wife, huh? You just made a big mistake, buddy!"_ One of the men said as he stood up out of his seat. Like the others, he was under the influence of excessive alcohol. The man was tall and had a reasonable stature, unlike the frail urbanites that surrounded him. He was balding and had an obvious crown line around his head.

 _"I-I'm not trying to do anything with your wife. I apologize, sir,"_ Hajime tried to explain as he tried to tug his arm away from the woman.

The woman just chuckled. _"Oh, leave the boy alone dear. You're just jealous of his gorgeous hair,"_ she said as she ran her hand through Hajime's hair, toying with his ahoge.

Hajime had an awkward smile of discomfort. It was not a genuine smile, but rather the kind that many people made instinctively when in an embarrassing situation. The drunken man's face reddened. _"Ya think that's funny, do ya punk?! Fumiko, get away from him now!"_

The woman sighed. _"You never let me have any fun,"_ she pouted. The man approached Hajime, rolling up his sleeves.

 _"Uh...S-sir? I didn't mean to cause any offense to you. Let's not resort to violence,"_ Hajime stammered, trying to maintain the diplomatic, professional tone he was taught in his training. He slowly backed away as the man got closer to him.

 _"Where are you going? I just wanna talk,"_ the man said as he advanced threateningly towards Hajime. It was pretty obvious that he was lying. The man cracked his knuckles and then lunged in for a punch. It was as if was in slow motion, from Hajime's perspective. He simply shifted his head to the left and the punch completely missed.

 _"Sir! Please calm down!"_ Hajime begged as the man threw another punch. Hajime once again nimbly dodged it. He dodged and ducked punch after punch, stepping circles around the clumsy assailant. The man seemed to grow more and more annoyed. He finally was able to grab Hajime by the collar and land a punch squarely in Hajime's jaw.

Hajime expected to feel shattering pain, but it felt like a child's slap. It didn't hurt to any serious degree. He barely felt it. It was nothing compared to Takuo's punches. Hajime had no choice but to counter the man at this point. He caught the man in the face with a hook punch. Of course, Hajime pulled his punch, but it still sent the man falling back onto his rear.

The attacker moaned in pain and clutched his jaw. _"You can't punch a customer, you little fuck! I'm gonna sue the shit outta this place!"_

Just then, the man was grabbed by two suited men with earpieces and sunglasses. They were casino security. They pulled him up by his arms and the man became even more flustered.

 _"You'll do no such thing,"_ said a cold voice, as the casino manager, Hiroto Noguchi approached the man. He had a shaved head with a deep scar running from his brow, all the way across his scalp. He had a stern expression and a dominating presence. _"The cameras caught everything, Mr. Ogawa, you assaulted one of our waiters in a drunken fury. I don't think you are going to win any lawsuit."_

 _"Tch,"_ the man scoffed angrily, realizing that he was beaten. The guards released his arms and he jerked them away, angrily. _'Whatever. It wouldn't be worth my time anyway."_

 _"Oh, I'm sure it wouldn't. The life of a diet member is surely very stressful. I can understand how it could lead one to such an outburst. However, your constituents may not feel the same way."_

There was a sobering shift in the belligerent man's expression. He suddenly looked concerned and apprehensive. "W-what are you getting at?"

 _"If the footage was to find its way to the press, it would certainly make the front pages. That would be regrettable for any senator's career, especially with election season on the horizon."_

The man was speechless for a moment. His mouth was agape and the blood seemed to have drained from his face. _"W-wait a minute. I-I wasn't trying to hurt the kid. I was just messing around, I swear!"_

 _"There is a certain saying that they have in the west. Perception is reality. People often draw their own conclusions, regardless of the facts."_

 _"Hold on! Let's talk about this! I'll pay for any damages! Please be reasonable!"_ The man began to beg.

 _"We don't want your money. This isn't a shakedown, Mr Ogawa. Like you, we wish to resolve this matter in an amicable fashion. The Kuzuryu would love nothing more than to turn this unfortunate misunderstanding into a valuable friendship. I am certain that you agree,"_

 _"O-of course,"_ the man stuttered, wiping sweat from his forehead, still shaken up from the encounter. Hirota put his hand on the man's shoulder and sported a friendly, unassuming smile.

 _"Wonderful. We can discuss this business further, in my office."_

Hajime was stunned as he watched them lead the equally stunned man away. He could barely believe what he had just saw. He had always heard how the Kuzuryu have politicians in their pocket, but he never imagined that this was how it happened. His random, unlucky encounter had unwittingly just delivered a powerful chess piece into the hands of the clan.

He wasn't quite sure how to feel about that. Ever since a young age he had been taught to respect the nation's political process and its leaders. Like most adults, Hajime had grown to understand that politicians were simply bought and paid for, but now he had played a direct role in this. Also, he wondered how much of this was by design. Was this one of the secret functions of the casinos, and was he simply bait? He began to feel a creeping unease, the same that someone might receive from watching slaughterhouse footage. He was seeing what went on behind closed doors. He had caught a glimpse of the true, unsavory nature of organized crime. The big question was whether or not he was prepared to be a part of it, himself.


	11. Chapter 11

The following 3 months passed by quicker than Hajime expected. He was more busy than he had ever been. It wasn't simply a job, that was keeping him preoccupied. His entire life structure and lifestyle was changing. Those three months did more to mould him into a disciplined adult than his entire time spent in school. Every day he either trained in combat, strength training or cardio. When he wasn't training, he was working his fingers to the bone. The labor, albeit menial and aggravating, was a valuable and necessary aspect of his development. At first it was wretchedly miserable, but after the first three weeks or so, he had adapted to it.

To his surprise, Hajime saw serious progress in his musculature within the first 2 months. He was beginning to see signs of a six pack, and his shoulders were especially more pronounced than before. Fat had been drained from his face as well, in a subtle fashion. On top of that, he felt more energetic than he had since elementary school.

Takuo hadn't changed. He was still the same Takuo. His demeanor hadn't improved much, but he was less and less derisive towards Hajime. He didn't outright insult him as often. He increasingly spoke to Hajime more as a colleague rather than an underling. It wasn't much, but Hajime welcomed it.

It was on one of Hajime's rare day's off, that Takuo told him that it was finally time. For the final month of his internship, he would be accompanying Takuo on official Yakuza business.

Hajime stood outside his apartment, casually glancing through his phone. He had a few texts from Natsumi, one from Fuyuhiko. It was casual, mundane chatter. He hadn't told either of them about what he would be doing today. It was finally time for his first assignment. He was undoubtedly nervous about what awaited him, but his training had substantially boosted his resolve. He was far stronger than he ever had been and he was ready to prove himself.

The black Nissan pulled up to the curb and Hajime immediately recognized it as his ride. He opened the front right door and got inside. Takuo was in the driver's seat and he turned down the radio, as Hajime sat down next to him.

 _"This is it, Hinata. You're ready for this, right?"_

 _"Yeah. Of course. What's our assignment?"_

 _"It's actually an important one, so pay attention,"_ Takuo said in a mild castigating tone. _"As you know, the Kuzuryu-gumi own many casinos throughout the country. A lot of money gets transported from them every day. We have armed couriers who transport the cash in armored trucks. Yesterday morning, one of the couriers, a man named Kagetaka Funaki shot his partner in the back of the head and made off with money."_

Takuo handed Hajime a picture of the man and his blood went cold. What did this have to do with their mission?

 _"Stealing from the Kuzuryu-gumi is an unforgivable crime in its own right, but this guy is a special piece of work. Killing his partner was just a fucking nasty thing to do. His partner was not required to defend the cash with his life. If Funaki pulled his gun on him, he would have simply compiled and given him the money without a fight. Its what they are trained to do in such a situation. Killing him was completely unnecessary. And to top it all off, the guy had a wife and kids."_

Hajime had nothing to say to all this. This was some heavy stuff. He listened intently, however.

 _"That is why… we are going to find him before the police do, and show him what we do to traitorous scum. These orders come directly from the Oyabun himself. So, I'll ask you one more time, Hinata. Are you ready for this?"_

The car was mostly silent, apart from the light rumbling of the engine and the occasional car whizzing by in the opposite direction. The gravity of this assignment was real. This was not training. This was not grunt work. This was an actual hit job. This was a murder mission.

 _"Yes"_ Hajime said, solemnly.

After a full day's drive, the pair arrived in Fukuoka. The coastal city was even more beautiful in person than in pictures and postcards. It was a big tourist destination and had countless five star restaurants. There were also numerous museums, which Hajime would have enjoyed visiting. However, this was not the time to be thinking of such things. Hajime had the whole drive to mentally prepare himself, but his stomach was still in knots.

Takuo navigated through traffic and made his way towards the downtown area.

 _"The Kuzuryu have eyes everywhere. No one can move through Japan without us knowing about it. One of our informants spotted him in one of the clubs. Apparently he's been spending his money and living the high life. Well… until we find him."_

 _"Is there a specific place that he frequents?"_ Hajime conversated, though inwardly he was still filled with anxiety.

 _"Not that we can tell. He doesn't seem to stick to one place. The night before last, he showed up at a place called The Fury and last night he caused some ruckus at a club called Spitfire. Apparently he was getting too close and personal with some of the hostesses and was asked to leave. We're gonna head there and hopefully one of them will be able to give us some info about him."_

By the time they had arrived, it was already nightfall. The city began to glow and come alive with adventurous night-goers. The clubs began to open their doors to the throngs of partiers and tourists. It was a Friday night, so it was especially crowded. Foreigners and locals intermingled, drank, and danced to their heart's content. Conversely, Hajime's business there, couldn't have been any more grim.

Takuo and Hajime arrived at the Spitfire. It was a legitimate business, but it gave off more seedy vibes than some of the other places they passed. It was known for its beautiful, scantily clad hostesses and dancers. It wasn't quite a strip club, but it was close to it. There were even rumors of pricey VIP treatments in back rooms. One would have to be an extraordinary sleazy individual to be kicked out of such an establishment.

Takuo brazenly ignored the long line outside the club and walked to the front, with Hajime in tow. The guard looked at Takuo and crossed his arms. The man was even larger than Takuo and looked just about as humorless. Hajime couldnt put his finger on it, but there was something dog-like about the man's features.

 _"If you're not a VIP, get to the back of the line, buddy,"_ he barked.

 _"Kuzuryu business,"_ were the only two words that Takuo said. At that moment the guard also caught a view of the tattoos across accross Takuo's chest. His eyes widened and he stepped aside.

 _"Oh. My bad. I forgot you guys were coming. The manager will want to speak with you."_

Hajime and Takuo passed the guard and entered through the propped open double doors. Hajime was hit with a blast of air conditioning as he passed the threshold. Upon entering the club, the floor was black and industrial. He was standing in what could loosely be considered a order to reach it the main floor, they had to descend a flight of stairs. The stairs were lit with red lights that evoked a surreal atmosphere. It was somewhere between horror and eroticism, two elements which so often blend together.

Hajime could hear the thumping synth music as they descended towards the dance floor. Hajime had never been to a place like this, considering his age. He already felt out of place. As they stepped out onto the dance floor, the music rang in Hajime's ears. It was incredibly loud. The floor was filled with people dancing and gyrating to the music. Neon pink and blue lights flared and dimmed in unison with the music, intermittently illuminating the crowd. There was an elevated stage where two girls, clad in tight shorts and bikini tops hypnotized men around them with the enticing, fluid motions of their limber bodies.

Takuo and especially Hajime were dressed quite differently from those around them, however the other patrons didn't seem to notice. They were lost in their own world, chasing a dopamine high. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as the two Yakuza walked through the crowd, which seemed to organically part before them, like rocks in a stream.

Waiting for them on the other side of the crowd was an older woman. She was in her 50s, though in good shape for her age. She had black and grey tinged hair, tied in a ponytail, with a few strands of hair falling down into her face. She was dressed more modestly than her far younger employees. She donned jeans and a sweater, despite the hot weather outside. The club itself was highly air conditioned and she preferred to remain warm. It seemed like rather casual wear for a manager, but she was the one who made the rules in the first place.

The woman saw them approach and crossed her arms. _"I take it, you're the guys?"_ she presumed.

 _"I take it you're Meisa Sakagami,"_ Takuo responded.

 _"Yes. I don't think we need any further introductions. Now, let's step into my office. I want to get this over with as quickly as possible,"_ she said as she led them to a back room. The door was black and blended in with the wall. It had a metallic indention as a door handle and could only be unlocked by typing into a digital keypad on the side.

 _"This wont take long,"_ Takuo assured her, as she typed the code to unlock the door.

She grumpily muttered. _"While I appreciate our business relationship, I would prefer it if the Kuzuryu didn't send their enforcers to my club at peak hours. I don't want your presence to deter my customers."_

 _"Don't worry, Miss Sakagami. They will compensate you for assisting, just as was promised. The Kuzuryu always respect our arrangements,"_ he said, professionally.

 _"Good. I expect every last yen,"_ the woman said as she led them into the back area of the night club. This contained the changing rooms for the girls, the break room, and the bathrooms. At the very end of the hall, her humble office was situated. It was cramped and somewhat messy. There was callender dry-erase board, covered in scribbled notes and reminders. As they entered the office, there was a girl sitting in one of the seats in front of the woman's desk.

The girl was not much older than Hajime. She had medium length black hair, which normally she tied into pigtails, when she was working. She had a fair complexion and had a cute face, but she didn't look as picturesque as the other girls, presumably because she wasn't wearing much makeup at the moment. She wasn't wearing her work uniform either, as this was her day off. She simply wore a hoodie and a skirt.

The girl looked nervous and jumped a little as the door opened. Hajime could see fear in her eyes as she looked at Takuo and at him. He had never been looked at, in such a way before. She quickly averted her eyes and looked down towards her hands, which were in her lap.

The woman closed the door behind them and walked around to sit in her executive chair.

 _"This is Kanako. She is the one who had the most interaction with the man you are looking for. So, ask her whatever questions you have."_

The girl fidgeted and didn't make eye contact with either of them. Takuo stood with his arms crossed, looking down at the girl.

 _"Ok. Get talking. I want to know everything that Funaki said to you,"_ he said, in an interrogative tone. The girl sheepishly looked up at him. She could see the Yakuza ink, emblazoned on the man's chest and fear pumped through her body.

 _"O-ok… I uh... The man came first entered the club around 11:30 at night. He ordered a spiked tea."_

 _"We don't need those kinds of details. We need details that will help us find this guy,"_ Takuo said, harshly.

 _"Oh, ok… He… he had a lot of money. He showed it to me. He said he was interested in me and he kept flirting with me. I flirted back because it's part of my job, but he took it differently. He grabbed me a few times and I told him-"_

Just then there was a slam on the table. The girl let out a "meep" noise, as Takuo banged the table and leaned down, bringing his face closer to hers.

 _"I don't give a flying shit about that! We want to know if he told you anything valuable,"_ he said, harshly. The girl had tears in her eyes at this point and began to lock up. Hajime watched this and decided that he had to step in.

 _"Easy, Takuo. Easy. Scaring her isnt going to help her remember."_ he said, putting his hand on Takuo's shoulder. The girl looked up to meet Hajime's gaze, in surprise. Takuo scoffed and backed off of the girl.

 _"Whatever. If you wanna give it a shot, be my guest, Hinata,"_ he said, sneeringly.

Hajime still looked down into the girl's eyes and tried to assure her. _"You aren't in trouble or anything. Don't think of this as an interrogation. We just are looking for a lead. This guy has done some really terrible things and we just want to find him. We really need your help. Can you try your best to remember for me?"_ he asked gently and kindly. The girl was shell shocked by the sudden "good cop" switch.

 _"S-sure. I want to help you, but I don't remember everything he said. A lot of it blurred together."_

 _"Did he talk about himself a lot?"_ Hajime asked, understanding that he would need to lead the conversation and try to jog her memory.

 _"Yeah. He really bragged about how much money he had and how much of a dangerous guy he was. He was… a pretty arrogant bastard."_

Hajime thought for a moment and then something came to him.

 _"Did he try to get you to leave with him?"_

 _"Yeah. Many times,"_ she responded.

 _"Did he say where he was staying?"_

 _"Well, not exactly. He said he was staying in a hotel."_

Hajime and Takuo's eyes lit up. They exchanged glances. Hajime turned back to the girl and put his hand on her shoulder. _"That's great! That really helps, Kanako. Did he mention any details about the hotel?"_

The girl blushed a bit, now that Hajime was so close and she looked up at him bashfully.

 _"He said it was a really expensive one. He said something about it being on the beach and that they had a pool. But that's about all I can remember."_

Hajime turned to Takuo in excitement, _"Takuo! How many hotels fit that description?"_

 _"I'm already checking, hold on,"_ he said, with his phone out. Hajime's heart was racing. He didn't think it would be this easy, but they already had greatly narrowed down where he could be.

 _"There are 13 in the city, but only 5 of them are close by, and they are the higher end places. They seem like the kind of places he would pick."_

 _"We can check those 5 places first, all 13, if we have to. It shouldn't take that long at all,"_ Hajime pondered. Takuo nodded and clenched his fist.

 _"In other words, we are gonna find this guy, tonight. Let's hurry and get going. We don't know how long he is going to stay in the city,"_ Takuo said, heading out the door.

 _"I'm glad we were able to help. I will expect proper compensation within the week,"_ Sakagami said as she walked out of the office with Takuo.

Hajime turned to Kanako and smiled, _"Thanks for all your help, Kanako. We couldn't have done this without you,"_ he said with a thumbs up. But as he turned to walk away, the girl stood up and grabbed his sleeve.

 _"Wait, Hinata!"_ she exclaimed, before he could leave.

 _"What? What's wrong?"_ he asked, surprised.

 _"What are you going to do, when you find him?"_ the girl asked with concern.

Hajime froze. His expression changed. The optimistic look on his face turned cold. He stared at her blankly, and she stared back. There was an eerie silence that hung in the air. No words reached Hajime's lips. He had no idea what to say. He could only watch as the expression on her face changed as well. He began to see the same look of fear on her face as he did when they first entered. The way she looked at him haunted him. She not only looked at him with fear, but also a mild sense of betrayal.

She let go of his sleeve and his arm fell to his side. Both of them had no idea how much time passed in silence. Finally, he turned away and simply walked out of the room.

Most of the hotels in Fukuoka were on a strip that ran alongside the beach. There were numerous resorts and condos in the area, all of which were incredibly expensive and luxurious. Hajime and Takuo knew that their target had to be staying in one of these locations. It was only a question of which. It was obvious that Funaki would not use his real name, so they were forced to rely on people recognizing his picture. They showed his face to the the clerks and bellhops from the first three hotels, but had no luck.

Hajime had a creeping anxiety that perhaps the employees simply forgot his face. Thus, they could check all the hotels and still be left at square one. As they arrived at the fourth hotel, Hajime was already beginning to lose faith.

Takuo and Hajime passed through the luxurious, tile-floor lobby and approached the front desk. Takuo carried a black bag over his shoulder. The clerk at the front desk was a young man in his 20s. He concealed his cell phone under the desk and played a mobile game. At this point it was around 1AM. The hotel was quiet and the young employee was hoping to enjoy a nice, lazy graveyard shift.

Takuo slammed a picture of the man onto the desk in front of him. The young man looked up curiously and skeptically glanced between Hajime and Takuo _, "Can I help you gentlemen with something? Do you need a short term room?"_

 _"We're looking for a friend of ours. We were supposed to meet up with him, but he didn't tell us what room he was staying in,"_ Takuo said, nudging the picture towards the young man. The clerk looked skeptical about this.

 _"Yeah, he looks famil-... wait a minute. He's your buddy, but you don't know what his name is? This is uh… pretty shady, man. It's not really in our policy to-"_

Takuo then grabbed him by the collar, pulling him forward. _"Not in your policy, huh? Do you want me to show you what our policy is?"_

The clerk looked at Takuo with pure fear as he effortlessly lifted him off the ground and stared threateningly into his eyes.

 _"N-No. Th-That won't be necessary sir,"_ he stammered. Takuo nodded before letting go of him, causing him to fall and catch himself on the desk. The man tried to straighten his clothes and regain his composure, as Takuo stood there impatiently.

 _"I… uh… I don't remember all our customers by their faces. But I'm pretty sure he's on the fourth floor. That's where most of our single bed suites are."_

 _"Good. Thanks for your help. Now, I have another question for you,"_ Takuo said, leaning on the desk.

 _"Uh… sure,"_ the guy responded nervously.

 _"Who came by and asked you about this man?"_

 _"Huh?"_ the man asked, bafflingly.

 _"I said…"_ Takuo leaned in closer and slid a 10K yen note into the man's shirt pocket. "Who came by and asked you about this man?"

 _"N-No one."_

 _"Good. Keep it that way."_

Takou gestured with his hand and Hajime followed him into the nearest. Elevator. As soon as they were inside, Takuo unslung the black bag over his shoulder and dropped it onto the floor.

 _"Are you ready for this, Hajime?"_ He asked, as he began to rifle through the bag. Hajime could see it contained ropes, tape, and various weapons.

 _"What do you mean?"_

 _"You know exactly what I mean,"_ he said as he pulled out a handgun and a silencer. He began to screw the cylindrical attachment onto the barrel. _"This guy probably isn't gonna come quietly. We were told to take him alive if possible, but if he's smart, he'll know that death is a much better option."_

 _"Right…"_

Hajime could feel his legs growing numb, as overwhelming dread began to course through his body like venom. Adrenaline endorphins were already being released, in anticipation for what was ahead. Sweat beaded on his forehead as the elevator passed the second floor.

 _"Don't lose your nerve, Hajime. We can't afford any hesitation,"_ he said, flipping the gun around, holding it by the barrel. He handed weapon to Hajime, who looked down at it, blankly. He slowly reached his hand out and took it, grabbing it tightly by the grip. Takuo had already given him lessons on how to shoot it, a few weeks prior.

Hajime stared at the cold, steel handgun in his hand. It was a 9 millimeter, and the clip was loaded with hollow point bullets. This kind of ammunition would be less likely to penetrate walls and it would also cause maximum internal damage to their target.

Takuo had a handgun of his own, concealed under his left shoulder. He kept his hand on the grip, surreptitiously. _"I will go in first. I want you to cover me. If he tries anything, put him down."_

Just then, the elevator rang and they reached the fourth floor. Takuo zipped up the bag and slung it back over his shoulder. They walked into the hallway. A red and orange carpet with rectangular designs covered the floor between rooms. There wasn't a single sound to be heard. It was late, after all.

 _"Uh… How do we know which room is his?"_ Hajime asked, as he looked up and down the hall. There had to be at least three dozen rooms on this floor.

 _"We don't,"_ Takuo muttered, annoyed.

 _"We could wait for him to leave his room. Or he might not even be here. If that's the case, we can just wait for him to come out of the elevator,"_ Hajime pondered.

 _"Or there's plan C,"_ Takuo muttered, as he whipped out his pistol. He walked up to one of the doors and delivered a powerful kick to it. Wood splintered and the door sprung open with a slam. A man was sitting at his computer and he jumped up in shock. Hajime's jaw practically hit the floor as well.

 _"W-What the fuck?! Who the hell are you?!"_ the man stammered.

 _"Pardon me. Wrong room,"_ Takuo apologized, unconvincingly as he walked away. Hajime looked back and forth between the two men in shock.

 _"Uh… yeah. We thought you were someone else. Sorry,"_ Hajime said with an awkward bow before chasing after Takuo.

 _"What the hell are you doing?!"_ Hajime scolded as Takuo came to the next door.

 _"We know that his guy is gonna have a "Do not disturb" sign on his door 24/7. The last thing he wants is room service stumbling across his cash or drugs. So, we're just gonna check all the doors with signs on them. That narrows down our options,"_ he said, delivering a kick to the next door.

As it smashed open, they didn't find their target, but instead interrupted a man and woman, in bed together. The woman screamed. The man also looked shocked and perturbed, but in a different sense than the woman.

 _"Woah, buddy. Let's be reasonable about this. I'm sure we talk this out,"_ the man said to Takuo, awkwardly, with a cordial smile. The terrified woman grabbed the man by the shoulder."

 _"That's not my husband, idiot! I don't know who this guy is!"_

Before the conversation could continue any further, Takuo had already moved onto the next door. And kicked it in. Then another. He walked down the row, only kicking in doors that had the _"do not disturb"_ signs hanging on the handle.

They reached the final door, at the end of the hall. He pounded the door with a decisive and hinge shattering stomp, knocking it loose with ease. Hajime peered in from the side and his eyes widened at what he saw.

The room was a wreck. A few loose stacks of cash sat on the nightstand and dresser. Of course, this was a minuscule chunk of the total cash that was stolen. On the bed was a scattering of bills, along with a few condoms, magazines, and snack wrappers. The room reeked of cigarettes, which sat in an ashtray. A few bags of white powder sat on the night stand, alongside a razor and straw. On the far wall, there was a knife sticking out of it, with numerous gashes from where it had been thrown repeatedly.

 _"I think we found his room,"_ Takuo stated, glibly. Hajime couldn't help but marvel at the state of chaos the room was in. Despite the man's absence, an oppressive aura of sleaze remained. Takuo checked under the bed, in the closets, and in the shower, to make sure the man wasn't hiding.

 _"It looks like we are gonna have to wait for him after all. I'm gonna check around the room some more. Head back and watch the elevator,"_ Takuo ordered, holstering his weapon. Hajime nodded and stepped back into the hall. But as he did so, he practically ran into someone.

As he looked up, he was face to face with a man in his 40s, with greasy hair and an unkempt goatee. He wore an orange V-neck shirt and a black blazer with straight, white pants. He carried a white plastic bag containing a carryout box of restaurant food. His eyes met Hajime's and there was a long pause where neither of them said anything.

Hajime was staring at the target. This was the man that Hajime and Takuo were on the hunt for. Both of them were temporarily stunned, but the man was the first to act. He quickly tossed the bag at Hajime's face. It was an ineffectual gesture but it allowed the man a window to turn heel and run. Hajime whipped out his gun, fumbling with the safety and aimed it down the hall.

 _"Stop! Freeze!"_ he yelled after him, as the man continued to take off running, down the hall. He didn't abide Hajime's orders, which was not a shock. Hajime had the man in his sights, but he couldn't keep his hand from trembling. He could have shot him, right then and there, but he couldn't tighten his finger. He couldn't bring himself to pull the trigger. Takuo rushed out of the room just in time, as the man turned the corner and made a bolt down the stairs.

 _"God dammit Hajime! God fucking dammit! He's getting away! Come on!"_ he yelled as he took off running after their target. Hajime didn't have time to kick himself. He was at least conscious enough to chase after Takuo and keep up pace.

Funaki continued to sprint down the stairs as quickly as he could. He even jumped half the final flight and stumbled his way out of the emergency exit. Hajime and Takuo were in close pursuit. Funaki panted and clutched his chest as he ran. All the alcohol in his system was not helping his cause. He ran to his car, and flung open the door. He jumped inside and peeled out, accidentally denting an adjacent sports car, in his desperation.

 _"In the car, now!"_ Takuo called to Hajime, as he changed directions and sprinted towards where their vehicle was parked. He started it up so quickly, that Hajime barely even had time to get in, before the tires were screeching. The car was already in motion before Hajime could even close his door. Takuo was in a frenzy. He was like a shark with its first taste of blood. Once he had his target in sight, he would not stop until he had subdued it.

 _"Will we be able to catch him?"_ Hajime asked, worryingly as the engine roared, in hot pursuit.

 _"This thing's got a twin turbo V6. There's no way this fucker's getting away!"_ Takuo snarled as the tires screeched.

It amazed Hajime how quickly Takuo caught up to Funaki's car. Unfortunately, even at this hour, the city streets were still crowded. The duo were consistently trapped a few cars behind their quarry. Eventually they hit an intersection stop light. Funaki veered to the left and ran off the road into a nearby crosswalk. Pedestrians yelled and scattered as he cut through, nearly running many of them over. Takuo and Hajime were not even a position to mimic that technique, because they were boxed in by other cars on their left. The only option was for Takuo to slam reverse, smashing into the car behind them. The driver honked loudly as his car was pushed backwards, allowing Takuo room to make a sharp right turn into the oncoming lane.

Hajime gripped the armrest and braced himself. His fear and adrenaline were through the roof at this point. How had he ended up in this situation? He asked himself that question, as the car barreled down the road, dodging oncoming vehicles. The Nissan slid and drifted around a sharp corner, nearly swiping pedestrians on the crosswalk. Despite the risky maneuvering, they made it out of the thick of traffic in one piece. Now, they were hot on Funaki's trail. Funaki's car merged onto the highway and tried to make his escape, from the city. Takuo and Hajime chased him past the outskirts of Fukuoka. Hajime had no idea how long the chase was going to last, at this rate. It could potentially last until one of them was out of gasoline. That turned out to not be the case.

Takuo kept his gaze fixed on their target as they tailed him. He contemplated attempting a pit maneuver. This was commonly used by police throughout the world, to end car chases. However, this technique was incredibly risky, especially at such high speeds. He was so focused on his target, that he neglected to check his rear view mirror, as did Hajime. Throughout the chase, another car had begun tailing them. They kept their headlights completely off, concealing themselves in darkness. Takuo caught a glimpse of the other car at the last moment, but it was too late.

 _"Ah, Shit! Hold onto someth-"_

There was a loud thud and the entire frame of the sedan quaked, as the the unexpected interloper slammed into their rear bumper. Takuo struggled to stabilize their trajectory and keep them from spinning out. Then they were hit again, causing them to veer into the railing. The sound of metal grinding on metal could be heard as the side of the Nissan scraped against the protective barrier.

 _"Who the fuck is this?! Hajime! Get him off our ass!"_ he yelled out at the frozen young man beside him, in the passenger seat.

Hajime's heart was pounding out of his chest. He had no idea what he was supposed to do. His body was wracked with terror. He suddenly remembered something. He took out his handgun and unscrewed the silencer, tossing it on the floor. He rolled down the window and reached his arm out, blindly firing in the vague direction of the car behind them. The gunshots were loud and they echoed through the cabin, making Hajime's ear's ring. The shots themselves were highly ineffectual and they seemed to fire off in every direction except at the vehicle behind them. Hajime couldnt even see if he was hitting his mark, or not.

Miraculously, it seemed to work. The other car began to back off a bit, giving Takuo time to correct his driving and stay lined up with his target.

 _"This is fucking bad. We weren't supposed to be outnumbered like this. This bastard was supposed to be working alone! We need to report-"_ ***Bang* *Bang* Bang***

He was suddenly interrupted as the car behind them started opening fire on them. A bullet pierced the left rear view mirror, shattered the back windshield and continued to puncture the car with each shot. The both of them ducked down as low as they could to avoid the shots.

 _"They're shooting at us! What do we do?!"_ Hajime yelled out, over the gunshots. Takuo's face was contorted with more anger than Hajime had ever seen, but he still remained focused. He didn't answer Hajime. He knew what he had to do. The situation was completely out of hand. He had to retreat. That is, if the assailants would let them.

Before he could forumate an escape route, the men behind them shot out the rear right tire of their car. What happened next, Hajime couldn't recall. The car spun, lost traction, and was flung into darkness. Hajime couldn't gauge how deep the ditch was, but they were certainly off the road at this point. The car tumbled and flipped. Glass shattered, and all the loose objects seemed to be caught in anti gravity, unsure of which direction to fall.

Hajime blacked out for a few moments. He only regained consciousness so quickly because he was upside down and all the blood was rushing to his head. His forehead dripped with blood and his neck ached. His arms dangled limply and the only thing holding him up was his seatbelt. He reached down and unclicked it. He wasn't prepared for how suddenly he would plummet downward, face planting on the car's ceiling. His body was contorted and his cheek pressed against the plastic roof of the sedan. He could see that Takuo was also covered in blood. His wounds looked far more severe than Hajime's. Hajime crawled his way out of the passenger window, which was completely smashed out. His forearms grappled with the soft, grassy earth as he pulled himself out of the car.

The ground was wet and muddy. Rain was gently sprinkling down as misty clouds blotted out the moon. It was hard to see anything in such low light, but his eyes soon adjusted and he saw a man standing above him. He didn't recognize him. He had a shaved head and wore a leather jacket.

 _"Oh. You survived. How unlucky for you,"_ he grinned. Hajime could only look up in helpless shock, as the man brought his shoe down, stomping him in the face, sending him into darkness.


	12. Chapter 12

Hajime opened his eyes slowly. There was a blinding light hanging over him, bathing his body in its warm embrace. He clutched at the ground beneath him and found it to be warm and soft. He held a fist full of sand in his hand and then released it. He could hear the sound of seagulls, as well as waves rumbling and gentle drafts of ocean wind blew over his body. He drowsily looked down and saw that he was wearing his swimsuit. He sat upright and placed his hand on his forehead, kneading it and trying to recollect how he got there. What was he doing? Where was he? "When" was he?

His thoughts were interrupted as he heard a melodious voice behind him.

 _"Did you fall asleep again? Are you narcoleptic or something?"_ Natsumi softly berated, as she stood in her turquoise bikini. Her hair was tied in a side tail, just like it was when Hajime visited the Kuzuryu summer home, a year prior. The blonde girl stood with her hands on her hips, looking down at him with a raised eyebrow. Behind her, Hajime could see Peko and Fuyuhiko hitting a volleyball back and forth.

 _"What… What happened?"_ Hajime asked, puzzlingly. He looked up into Natsumi's eyes, which only stared back in confusion.

 _"Eh?... What are you talking about?"_ she replied.

 _"I don't know. I feel like there was something… important, that I had to do..."_ he trailed off. Natsumi crossed her arms and donned a smug grin.

 _"Hmm, I think I remember what it was. You were supposed to be my personal manservant all day. You know, bring me drinks, cook me food, give me foot rubs. All that stuff. And-…. Uh, what are you-"_

As she teased Hajime, he stood up, walked up to her and embraced her tightly. It caught the blonde girl off guard and caused her to blush furiously. She stood there shocked for a moment.

 _"W-what the hell are you doing?! The others will see us!"_ she whispered worriedly, her face bright red.

 _"I don't give a shit."_ Hajime whispered back, nuzzling her neck. Natsumi let out a subtle whimper at the feel of Hajime's breath on her neck. She sighed in annoyance and hugged him back.

 _"What's gotten into you?"_ she asked, leaning her head against him. The sound of the ocean continued to gently fill the ambience, as the two stood there, skin to skin.

 _"I… I don't know. I've just missed you."_

 _"What are you talking about? We just talked, like, 30 minutes ago."_ Natsumi responded, deeply confused. She gently placed a kiss on Hajime's cheek. _"I didn't think you were so needy."_

 _"Sorry. It's just that I've been going through a lot of... difficult things lately."_

 _"Hmm…"_ Natsumi pondered as she slowly pulled away. She put her finger to her lips and then smiled slyly. _"I think I know what could help,"_ the girl smiled. She stood on her tip toes and whispered something seductive into Hajime's ear, which made blood pump faster through his whole body. He had a look of surprise on his face that caused Natsumi to giggle.

 _"I'm sure the others won't notice if we slip away for a little bit."_ she said with a devilish smile, standing with her hands behind her back. A soft blush crossed her cheeks.

At that moment, Hajime looked up and noticed that clouds had rolled in over the horizon, shockingly fast. The sun was slowly being eclipsed by the tumultuous clouds. A gentle shower began to fall. Natsumi put her hand out and looked up at the sky, with an annoyed expression.

 _"Tch. These storms come out of nowhere, don't they? But they don't last long."_ Natsumi said, assuredly, crossing her arms. However, the rain continued to fall and intensify. Winds formed and began kicking up sand around them. What started as a light shower, began to resemble a monsoon or hurricane.

 _"We should get inside! This looks bad!"_ Hajime cried out. The storm just got worse and worse as the seconds ticked by. Hajime wanted to seek cover, but his feet seemed to be locked into place. He seemed to be transfixed on the storm. He managed to break his trance and turned to Natsumi. She looked at him with a warm, subtle smile, as her hair and the laces of her bikini whipped in the wind. The rest of her body was unshaken and she seemed to not even notice the storm.

 _"You can make it through this, Hajime. No matter what happens, you need to make it back to me. Understand?"_ She said calmly.

Hajime turned back to the ocean and saw a murky shape on the horizon. As his vision adjusted, he realized how large it truly was and how fast it was closing in. It was a tidal wave, easily 200 feet high. It roared towards them at an inconceivable velocity. Hajime turned to Natsumi, to tell her to run, but she was no longer there. Peko and Fuyuhiko were nowhere to be seen either. He was all alone, staring down the monstrous wave. He didn't run. He simply stared at it blankly, as it enveloped him.

Hajime jolted back to consciousness as a large bucket of cold water was dumped on him. He gasped, coughed, and thrashed, as he was rudely awakened. He sputtered and blinked. The water in his eyes still blurred his vision. He could hear two voices in the background. They casually chatted with each other.

 _"It's insured, right?"_ one of them asked.

 _"Technically yeah, but the insurance company might start askin' questions, you know? That could get a little dicey,"_ the other responded.

 _"Eh, it's just a bumper. We can just write it off as a loss."_

A third voice interrupted them. _"Quiet down guys. The baby's awake,"_ he said as he grabbed Hajime by the hair. Hajime winced in pain as he was roughly grabbed. He looked up at the man and could vaguely make out the shape of his hair and the obnoxious color of his suit.

( _Oh no..._ )

Hajime tried to pull his hands up, realizing that they were tied to the arms of a chair. His legs were also tied to the legs of the chair.

The man delivered some playful slaps to Hajime's cheek to snap him to attention and wake him up. _"Come on, kiddo. Wakey, wakey."_

As Hajime's eyes finally adjusted to his surrounding, he could see Funaki standing over him and two men that he did not recognize. Actually, upon adjusting his eyes to the low light, he did recognize the bald man. He was the one who knocked him out. The other man looked rather unassuming. He had gelled, black hair, swayed to the side. He had muscular looking arms and he wore a suit not too dissimilar from Hajime's.

Hajime also noticed that Takuo was to his left and was in the same position as he was. He was also tied to a chair. He was in much worse shape than Hajime, however. He was bleeding from his head, nose, and mouth and his right arm was broken in multiple places. He looked like a wreck and he was still unconscious.

Funaki walked over and slapped Takuo on the cheek a few times to wake him up.

 _"Come on, buddy. No sleeping on the job. You gotta be a part of this too,"_ he mocked, as Takuo slowly regained consciousness. He feigned weariness and disorientation as Funaki foolishly came closer.

 _"Looks like we're gonna need another bucket of wat-"_ he said as Takuo suddenly lunged forward and headbutted Funaki in the face. The man howled in pain and stumbled backward, clutching his eye where Takuo's forehead had made its impact.

 _"Dammit! You fuck!"_ Funaki screamed, in anger and pain as he clutched his face. Takuo only smirked. One of the other men, the bald one, stepped in. He socked Takuo in the face with a devastating hook, followed by another. Takuo spit blood profusely with each punch and Hajime could only sit there in shock.

 _"C-cut it out!"_ Hajime yelled out. The man paused his savage beating of Takuo and turned his gaze to Hajime. His fist was still pulled back, ready to punch Takuo again, but then it slowly lowered.

 _"What's that? Are you feelin' left out over here?"_ The man said with a sinister smirk, letting go of Takuo's hair. Takuo turned his head toward the man and tried to spit blood at him, but he walked out of range. The man stood in front of Hajime, cracking his knuckles.

 _"Look, how about we talk about thi-"_ Hajime was interrupted, as the man's fist collided with his jaw. Then he punched him again, squarely in the face. Hajime had plenty of training at this point. He knew how to take a punch, but that didn't change the fact that this hurt. It hurt a lot. He couldn't even do anything to defend himself.

Takuo grit his teeth and clenched his left fist angrily as the man mercilessly beat Hajime. Finally the man grew tired of it and Hajime slumped forward. Hajime was bleeding from the nose and he tasted massive amounts of blood in his mouth. The man rubbed his knuckles gingerly and stepped back.

 _"Funaki,"_ the black haired man spoke in a casual tone.

 _"What?"_ the thug responded, still nursing his face wound.

 _"It was your idea to bring these guys here. Don't expect Shiratori and me to keep them in line for you. Just hurry and do whatever you want with them, so we can dump them."_

 _"Sure. No problem. I can take things from here,"_ he said with an arrogant sneer.

Takuo spoke up, before the two men could leave, _"So, who are you clowns anyway?"_

The man with a bald head, the one that was referred to as Shiratori, turned to Takuo and stood at arms length from him. _"I don't see why that would matter to a couple of dead men."_

Takuo was unphased by the man's remark. _"I just want to know who signed their own death warrants, by throwing in their lot with this stupid fuck,"_ he gestured towards Funaki, craning his neck.

Shiratori smirked and Funaki seethed in hatred. Shiratori glanced at his associate, the man with gelled hair, who gave a nonchalant nod of approval. _"Ah, what the hell. I'm terrible at keeping secrets,"_ Shiatori said with a grin. Hajime, who was still recovering from his beating, also listened in. Maybe they would finally get some answers.

 _"I'm Shiratori and over there's Okada. Of course those ain't our actual names. We're both part of the Yeong Jopok. At your service,"_ he said, with a slight, mocking bow.

Hajime was deeply confused for a moment. That was not a Japanese name. He had no idea what organization that was. Takuo's gaze narrowed in understanding and then he bitterly chuckled to himself.

 _"Korean Mafia, huh? Don't you guys remember what happened last time you tried to weasel your way into our turf?"_

 _"Oh yeah. We haven't forgotten that. But you guys don't seem to be… on top of things, like ya used to."_

Takuo's gaze narrowed. "I don't know who told you that, but they were gravely mistaken. You'll find that out the hard way."

 _"That so? You guys are sendin' kids on cleaning assignments and you've got guys like Funaki here defecting left and right. I don't think you've got room to talk."_

 _"So that's what's going on here? Funaki cut some kind of deal with you to sneak him out of the country, didn't he?"_

 _"You're smarter than you look, ape boy,"_ Funaki mocked "but you didn't figure it out soon enough. Now you and your buddy are totally fucked."

 _"So what's the next step in your master plan?"_ Takuo asked Funaki derisively.

 _"Oh, not much. We are gonna leave by boat and take the rest of the money with us back to the mainland. But first…"_ he smirked as he walked over and picked up a large rolled up cloth. He brought it over and set it down on a table beside them. As he unrolled the cloth, it displayed a litany of tools, from pliers, to ice picks, to knives. There was a hammer and a small blow torch as well.

 _"I'm gonna torture the shit out of you guys."_

Hajime's blood went cold. His legs grew numb and his head felt light. He had been through a lot over the past year. He had come face to face with death many times, but this was a whole different animal. His mouth was dry and his whole body was wracked with fear as he gazed upon the countless torture implements. He then glanced down. He realized that the wooden chair he was sitting in was stained with blood. The floor around him also had a dark stain. They were in a torture chamber. His eyes dilated and his hands trembled. This couldn't be happening.

Takuo kept a calm composure and just glared at the man with contempt.

 _"You're wasting your time. The kid doesn't know anything of value and i'm not telling you a damn thing,"_ Takuo said in a cold, calculated tone.

 _"Oh, I know that. I'm not trying to get any information out of you. I just want to have a little fun,"_ he said as he smirked at Takuo. His gaze then shifted to Hajime.

 _"You know, ape boy,"_ he said with a smirk, _"I could probably torture you for hours and barely get a rise out of you. But this kid,"_ he said, pointing at Hajime. _"I wonder how you would feel listening to him scream for hours?"_

Takuo scoffed. _"Whatever floats your boat. I barely know the guy,"_ he bluntly. Hajime looked at him in shock, not knowing if he was being genuine or if he was trying to protect him.

The man approached Hajime, who was paralyzed with fear.

 _"L-look… I… you don't have to do this,"_ he pleaded. There was no mercy on the man's face.

 _"I don't have to… but I really, really want to,"_ the sadistic man smirked, reveling in Hajime's fear. _"You don't even have your tattoos yet, do you? You're a real newbie."_

Sweat dripped down Hajime's forehead and tears welled in his eyes. He had no idea what he was supposed to do or say in this situation. He was completely helpless.

 _"Rotten luck, kid. But you shoulda known what you were getting into before joining the Kuzuryu-gumi. You know what they say. Crime doesn't pay... well, except for guys like me,"_ the man chuckled as he reached over to a metal tray and retrieved a few bamboo splinters. They were roughly the size of toothpicks. Out of all the torture implements, they seemed to be the most subtle and unassuming.

 _"Let's start off small, shall we? When torturing, you don't wanna skip straight to mutilation. You gotta pace things out. Start off with an appetizer."_ The man smirked, holding up the bamboo spikes.

" _W-wait…"_ Hajime stuttered, his hands shaking.

 _"This might sting a little,"_ the man mocked as he grabbed one of Hajime's fingers.

 _"No! Don't! Aaaghh!"_ Hajime cried out. He closed his eyes and cried out in pain as the man began to push one of the splinters under the nail of his right pointer finger. Pain and desperation shot through him. He had never experienced anything like this. He thrashed against the chair as the man wedged it deeper under his nail. He banged his head against the back of the chair and clenched his teeth. Tears rolled down his cheeks.

The man chuckled as he watched his victim squirm and suffer. Takuo averted his eyes and clenched his teeth in anger. There was nothing he could do to help Hajime right now. He clenched his left fist and bided his time. He needed to form a plan of escape, but it was hard for even him to think with the sound of Hajime's screams filling the room.

The man proceeded to wedge two more of the picks under Hajime's middle and ring fingers, on his right hand. Each of them were wedged nearly a full centimeter under the nail. Hajime's voice was hoarse and adrenaline pumped through his veins. He had never been in more pain in his life. His face was soaked in sweat and tears. He couldn't even move his hand, it was in so much agony.

Funaki feasted upon Hajime's suffering. He felt a dopamine rush of power and subjugation. The man was a true sadist, through and through. He grabbed Hajime by the hair and spoke in a venomous and cruel voice.

 _"I hope you're having as much fun as I am. We're just getting started, bitch boy,"_ he cackled.

 _"Pathetic,"_ Takuo scoffed. The man slowly turned to him and tilted his head.

 _"What was that? Something on your mind, ape boy?"_ the man sneered.

 _"You've always gone for lowest common denominator, haven't you, Funaki? You think you're some kind of badass, torturing a newbie. It's laughable. This is exactly why they demoted your worthless ass,"_ Takuo sneered. Funaki turned his attention away from Hajime. Takuo had struck a nerve and the man grinned at him menacingly.

 _"Oh, I definitely haven't forgotten about that. How could I?"_ he said as he held up his right hand, which Hajime hadn't gotten a close look. Funaki was missing his right pinky finger. _"I served the Kuzuryu for ten years and this was the reward they gave me. All just because I wanted to have some fun from time to time."_

 _"You should consider yourself lucky. If I was the Oyabun, I would have just put you down like the dog you are. I've read your file. You were always a psychotic scumbag."_

 _"Psychotic, huh?"_ The man snickered as he walked over to the table and picked up an iron hammer. He walked over to Takuo, clutching it in his right hand. Hajime, who was still recovering from his own trauma, watched on in horror.

 _"Maybe you're right about that. I might be crazy, but at least i'm not the one being tortured,"_ The man chuckled as he prodded Takuo's broken right arm, with the hammer. The slightest touch sent agonizing waves through Takuo's body, that were enough to crack even his stony composure. Funaki then reached up and swung with the hammer. It collided with Takuo's forearm, which caused him to bite his lip and grunt in pain.

 _"I tear torture out of myself, by torturing you,"_ the man cackled, quoting an old horror movie. He clubbed Takuo's arm a few more times, sending the man into dizzying convulsions of pain. If he kept this up, it could potentially send Takuo into shock and kill him. The man finished by smashing the hammer down on Takuo's hand.

Takuo hung his head low, as he briefly blacked out from the pain. Funaki stood there, panting and grinning maniacally, clutching the hammer in his hands. He walked over and set it down on the table.

 _"Whew. This is getting exciting. I could go for a nice stiff drink, right about now. I think I'll heat up some food too. You can't torture on an empty stomach. You guys sit tight. I'm gonna go whip myself up something, real quick. I'll be right back."_ he said as he walked over to unlock the door. As it opened, Hajime could see that it had thick insulation. He came to the morbid realization that this room was sound proofed.

The door shut and locked and there was silence for many long moments. Hajime could only hear the sound of his own breathing and heartbeat. His body was racked with endorphins. His head ached as his fight/flight instincts were out of control. His hands quivered and he couldn't even move his right hand, out of pain. The splinters were still wedged under his nails and he couldn't bare to even look at them. He looked over at Takuo who slowly regained consciousness.

 _"T-Takuo..."_ Hajime whimpered in a quivering voice. He was trying his best to "man up," and hold back tears, but it was increasingly difficult.

 _"Be quiet, Hinata. I'm going to get us out of here, but you need to pull it together. Understand?"_ he said calmly. Hajime nodded his head in response.

Takuo stared forward for a moment and took in deep breaths, through his nose and out of his mouth. He mentally prepared himself for a few moments. He knew that above all else, he would need to avoid passing out. He then jerked hard on his right arm. He grit his teeth and breathed sharply in and out. His eyes were wide as he fought through the pain. He yanked on his arm, harder and harder. At first, Hajime couldn't tell what he was doing.

Takuo's hand was shattered, as were many of the bones in his arm. This meant that it was loose, like jelly. It was able to contort, albeit through intense agony. Takuo managed to slowly slide his hand back. It wasn't long before he was able to pull it free from the ropes entirely

Hajime's eyes were wide in astonishment as he saw this. It was a step in the right direction, but Takuo's right arm was still virtually destroyed. He was still in a bad position. Takuo may have been unable to use his right arm, but freeing it allowed him more flexibility. He was able to lean his body to the left and use his mouth grab a sharp object off of the table or torture tools. He clutched a scalpel in his teeth and leaned down to saw the ropes that bound his left hand.

After merely weakening them with the scalpel, he was able to snap the cords and pull his hand free. He then made short work of the ropes around his ankles. Takuo rose to his feet and limped over to Hajime. His right arm hung limp as he walked. He held the scalpel in his left hand and quickly sawed away the ropes on Hajime's wrists and ankles.

Hajime looked down at his right hand. It quivered uncontrollably. He felt overwhelmingly ill as he saw the pointed objects sticking out from under his nails. The feelings of sheer horror and revulsion were almost worse than the pain itself. He reached down, closed his eyes, and yanked them out, one by one. Each time, it sent dizzying, mind-rending pain through his body, but after they were gone, he felt some semblance of relief.

 _"Hinata. I need you to focus. Set aside the pain. Set aside the fear. Just focus on one thing. Getting out of here alive. As soon as he opens that door. You need to…"_ Takuo spoke before he began to collapse. Hajime caught him as he was falling, grabbing onto his left shoulder.

 _"Takuo!"_ he called out, as the man was fading in and out of consciousness. Hajime guided him over to the chair and let him sit down in it. The man was delirious with pain and endorphins. He was struggling to stay conscious.

 _"Listen to me, dammit… Funaki will be back any second. When he gets back, you need to kill him. Then you need to escape. Just run. Get somewhere safe and call for backup. Let them know the situation. Understand?"_

"What about you?"

 _"I'll only slow you down. It's better that at least one of us makes it out."_

 _"What are you saying?! If you stay here, they'll kill you!"_

 _"This isnt a fucking debate! Those are my orders, Hinata. I expect you to…"_ the man muttered as he passed out in the chair. Hajime stared down at him in horror. His heart was thumping in his chest and he felt paralyzed. What was he supposed to do?

Funaki unlocked the door and strolled in with a smug, smarmy grin on his face. Alcohol was on his breath as he chortled, _"I'm back, boys. Let's get back to it."_

He grinned to himself, trying to decide which torture he would inflict next: Dismemberment, fire, teeth pulling. There were so many options. His thoughts were interrupted and his pupils dilated. Takuo was still passed out in his chair, upon closer inspection the ropes were only loosely draped around his wrists. The other chair was entirely empty. Before Funaki could utter another syllable, a scalpel was pressed to his throat. Hajime kicked the door closed behind them. The man froze, his look of smugness wiped away in an instant.

 _"If you make a noise, you're dead. If you wanna get out of this alive, you'll do what I say."_ _  
_

 _"Is that so?... Well, aren't you-Agh! Fuck! Easy, kid!"_

Hajime dug the scalpel into the man's skin, ever so slightly, drawing blood.

 _"Shut up. You're going to help us get out of here. Understand?"_

 _"And what happens when I do? You guys are just gonna let me walk away? I doubt that. Your job was to kill me, wasn't it? So why are we even still having this conversation?"_ The man said as a grin crept across his face. Hajime furrowed his brow and felt a twinge of hesitation.

 _"You've never killed someone before, have you? I could tell you what it's like, though. Would you like to know?"_

 _"Keep your mouth shut!"_

 _"It's not the gore or the smell that really gets ya. It's the sounds. People make such interesting sounds when they die. Have you ever heard the sound a man makes when he's shot in the gut? It's very interesting. My partner, Hatoyama, for example. I worked with the guy for 6 years and I never heard him make a noise like that."_

At this point, Hajime's hand was starting to tremble and waver. His body was acting on its own. The gravity of the situation was wearing on him.

 _"Your partner… he had a family! He had kids! And you killed him for no fucking reason! Why?"_

 _"Hey, I had a reason for doing what I did. He was in my way. And what do you care, anyway, punk? You didn't even know the guy. I did. Hell, I even met his fuckin' family. His wife's a nice lady. Great rack. He has good kids too… Oops. I guess he had good kids."_

Hajime was in awe. He was speechless. The man was a true sociopath. Hajime had never encountered a human being like this. The man was barely human.

 _"What? Don't act so shocked. What the fuck kind of organization do you think you work for, kid? They didn't send you after me because they care about his family. They sent you here to get the fuckin money. That's it. So don't act like you can look down on me, you little shit."_

 _"You're... gonna pay for what you've done,"_ Hajime seethed, through his teeth as anger surged through his body.

 _"Who's gonna make me? You? You're not gonna do anything. We've just been standing here having a nice little chat, because you still don't have the balls to-"_

The man's words were cut off by the sound of slicing flesh. Hajime's hand clasped the man's forehead and his other arm swung to the side. A red line cut across the man's throat, severing his windpipe and his vocal cords. The man's eyes were wide and his pupils were dilated. There was a grotesque, high pitched gurgling sound. At first it seemed like it was coming from his mouth, but it was actually coming from the gash in his severed throat. Blood was gushing down the man's chest as his hands reached up. They twitched as they reached up to his neck.

Hajime stepped back, dropping the scalpel. The despicable thug fell to his knees and looked up at Hajime. He didn't have the same smug, arrogant, sadistic assuredness he had before. He didn't even have a look of hatred or contempt. The twisted man had a look of pure, undiluted, child-like fear. That gaze was permanently burned into Hajime's memory. Hajime looked down at the man, in bewilderment.

The man continued to choke on his own blood and his vision began to blur. He tried in vain to somehow hold his throat together, pressing his hand over the wound. He tried in vain to realign the severed breathing tube, but it was no use. Blood seeped from in between the cracks of his fingers and he rolled his eyes upward. He fell forward onto the floor. His vacant gaze stared at a nearby wall. It was over.

Hajime felt a rush of nausea come over him and he stumbled over to one of the corners and vomited. He pressed his hand over his mouth and breathed heavily, trying not to hyperventilate. He had just killed someone. Sure that man was a monster, but Hajime was not prepared for this. A visceral dread coursed through his body. The reality of what he had just done began to set in. Hajime was unsure how long he kneeled there in the corner. Was it minutes or hours?

Luckily, the other two men still hadn't checked up on them. So, it gave Hajime time to recuperate. However, he would still have to deal with them, in order to escape. Takuo was still unconscious and was in no condition to help him fight. As such, Hajime would need to somehow take on both mem, on his own.

The fact that Hajime had slaughtered one of their captors did not empower him or give him confidence. It had quite the opposite effect. He stared over at the dead body, that continued to form a puddle of dark red arterial leakage. The smell of blood filled the air.

( _I can't do this_ )

Nothing in Hajime's training or his experiences had prepared him for this. There were many men in this world with a natural talent and inclination for violence. Hajime was not one of these men, and the crime world was one of pure primal brutality and dominance.

He placed his hand on his forehead and grit his teeth. Tears streamed down his cheeks. All he wanted was to wake up from this nightmare, but that wasn't going to happen. He was going to die here, in this miserable, dark cesspool, in the middle of nowhere.

Then, his thoughts drifted back to Natsumi. She was waiting for him. She was probably thinking about him right now.

He couldn't die here. He had to remain by her side no matter what it took. He had come too far to let it end like this. He was going to see her again, and nothing was going to stop him. He stood up, wiping the tears and sweat from his face with his forearm. He looked around the room for something to use.

The scalpel was far too small of a weapon to be effective in a two on one fight. He needed something larger. Unfortunately, most of the torture implements were small tools. Then, something caught Hajime's eye. He walked over and picked up the hammer from earlier. It was a standard kind that one would find in every hardware store. It was the best option he had. It was light-weight, but could pack a serious punch.

He grasped the handle in his hand tightly. It was now or never.

The Jopok thugs had appropriated an abandoned coastal factory as a base of operations for smuggling. The small room they were in had been converted from a break room, to a dingy lounge. There was a small bar, with bottles of alcohol and glasses lining the back wall. There was a dart board on one of the walls. The two goons sat around a small table and played a game of Mahjong, while a TV droned the late night news in the background. There were empty beer bottles strewn along the table and the smell of cigarette smoke permeated the air. Shiratori and Okada chatted and joked with one another. Their laughter could be heard, echoing down the hallway.

 _"So, then we dragged the fuckin' cooler all the way down the mountain,"_ Shiratori explained.

 _"Sounds rough man. What happened next?"_

 _"Well... I ain't a scientist..."_

Okada cracked up at this, putting his hand to his face.

 _"What?"_

 _"Nothing. Just, keep going,"_ he chuckled as he urged Shiratori to continue.

 _"Sure, sure. Now, I ain't a scientist... but this stuff's not supposed to be green, right?"_

At that point Okada burst out laughing. Shiratori also suppressed laughter.

 _"Hey, don't laugh, man. I got in deep shit over the whole thing. It wasn't even my own damn fault. I was just the delivery boy,"_ the bald man explained as his associate continued to chortle in a drunken stupor.

Shiratori paused as he caught someone out of the corner of his eye. He assumed it was Funaki, so he continued. _"You know what they say, man. Comedy is just tragedy plus time. It's all just-"_

He never got to finish that sentence. An iron hammer slammed into his temple with a loud, reverberating thud, and it made a wet squishing sound as it cracked and indented his skull. The man didn't have time to even register what hit him. His vision blacked out and he fell sideways onto the floor, pooling blood.

Okada was still in his laughing stupor when the hammer collided with his partner's skull. It took a few moments before he could even register what had just happened. Perhaps it was the alcohol or just because he was off guard. However, as soon as the man snapped to reality, he stood up and flipped the table over in Hajime's direction, causing Mahjong pieces to fly everywhere.

With the table as a momentary distraction, the man dashed towards the corner of the room, where his gun holster hung from a coat rack. He grabbed it by the belt and yanked it off the coat rack, just as Hajime closed in on him. In his alcohol induced clumsiness, the gun fell out of the holster and slid across the floor.

Even in the man's drunken state, he somehow managed to duck the swings of Hajime's hammer. The man ducked low and lunged at Hajime, grabbing his midsection. He lifted Hajime up and slammed him onto the ground. This caused Hajime to loosen the hammer from his grasp and it knocked the wind out of him. The man tried to pin him down, but Hajime grabbed the man's shirt, headbutted him in the face and managed to pull him forward, flipping him onto the ground behind him. The man landed on his back, but he did not miss a beat.

Okada rolled to the side and quickly hopped to his feet. Hajime didn't relent either. He charged the man and tackled him, causing both of them to knock against the mini bar, knocking over bottles and half filled drinks. The two of them wrestled and grappled with one another in a desperate, primal struggle.

The man broke free and grabbed the nearest beer bottle, which he smashed on the bar, causing it to break into a jagged, sharp weapon. He jabbed it at Hajime three times, but on the third time, Hajime caught his arm and forced him to jab the weapon into the wood of the bar. Hajime was then able to swing his arm back and quickly slam his elbow into the man's face. The man stumbled back, bleeding from the mouth.

The pain had actually helped to snap the man back to his senses and helped him to focus. The effects of alcohol were overridden by adrenaline. The man ducked Hajime's next punch, went in low, and grabbed Hajime around his abdomen. He landed successive punches on hajime's ribs, continuously pushing him back. He repeated his technique of lifting Hajime up off the ground and slamming him to the floor. This time, however, he was not going to let Hajime shake him off. He planted his knee on Hajime's chest, holding him down.

The man's hands clasped Hajime's neck tightly, with the intent to strangle him. Hajime choked and his face turned dark red. He tugged on the man's arms, but he could not break the vice grip around his neck. His legs kicked but it was no use.

As he turned his head to the side he saw something within reach. He reached out his left hand and grabbed the hammer from earlier and swung upward. The hammer collided with the man's jaw, causing him to spit blood and a few teeth in the opposite direction. Hajime then pushed the man off of him.

The man's mouth was gushing blood, and he was dazed from the pain. As Hajime came at him, he attempted to snatch the hammer from him, but Hajime faked him out and attacked low this time. The hammer collided with the man's knee, causing him to howl and curse in Korean. In a quick, successive combo, Hajime smashed the man in the forehead with the hammer.

Hajime could barely recall what happened next. Everything happened in a rush of adrenaline. The next thing he knew, he was on top of the man, pinning him down. He brought the hammer down and cracked the man in the head with it. He did it again, and again, and again. Strings of thick blood spurted upward, every time he pulled back for another attack. He lost track of how many times he cratered the man's skull with the blunt instrument. After the first few blows he was beating a corpse. The visage of the criminal had been pulverized beyond recognition. Hajime stood up. His arms dropped to his sides and he dropped the hammer onto the floor with a light thud.

The room was silent, but he was overwhelmed by the sound of his own breathing and blood flow. He slowly rose to his feet, wobbling as he did so. He looked around the disheveled room. It was a mess of glass, knocked over furniture and Mahjong pieces. Splatters of blood was strewn about and the two bodies on the floor continued to form maroon puddles of gore. Hajime looked down at his hands, which were literally drenched in blood.

In that moment, he became disconnected, disassociated from his surroundings. He had a blank look on his face as he walked over to the sink behind the bar. His trembling hands turned the faucet and cool water flowed over his hands, gently cleansing the blood. He watched the miniature whirlpool of red tinged water circle the drain and disappear from sight. He cupped water in his hands and splashed it on his face. The water got all over his shirt as he futility tried to clean the blood off of himself. There was just so much of it.

Hajime slouched against the sink and sunk his face to his his right hand as his shoulders began to quake.

 _"Fuck…. Fuck!"_ he sobbed under his breath.

 _"Are you crying?"_ a harsh voice interrupted Hajime's breakdown and made him jolt to attention. He turned around to see Takuo limping his way into the room. His right arm dangled uselessly at his man stepped towards the center of the room, looking around at the damage and carnage on display.

 _"You really did a number on these guys,"_ He remarked. Hajime just stood silently, staring at him. Takuou looked him over, recognizing the residual effects of shock. Takuou sighed and rubbed his forehead. He walked over to a corner of the room where there was a large black box with a padlock.

 _"Hinata. This thing's locked. Check for keys,"_ he called over to the traumatized young man. Hajime looked down at the floor, averting his eyes from directly staring at the bloodied bodies. He left damp, bloody footprints as he walked over to the body of the bald man, who lay motionless on the floor. Hajime patted his pants and coat pockets. He found a wallet and a folded knife, but no keys.

Hajime hesitantly made his way over to the other body. He felt ill as he avoided looking at the man's unrecognizable face. He patted his coat and withdrew a wallet. Inside the folded wallet, was a silver key. However, something else caught Hajime's eye. In the wallet there was a photo. What he saw made him momentarily freeze.

The man was seen in the picture smiling. Alongside him, there were two young boys, who each bore a likeness to him. One was around the age of 7 and the other was a preteen. They clutched onto his arms as he lifted them off the ground. Sitting on the couch in the background was a woman, who Hajime presumed to be the man's wife. She had a distended stomach, which she cradled warmly. There was something inscribed on the photo in Korean, but Hajime couldn't read it.

Hajime stared at the photo as blood drained from his face. He held the wallet in his hand, as the images seared his mind.

 _"Hinata! We don't have all day! Get over here and unlock the damn thing already!"_

Hajime dropped the wallet onto the man's chest, as he was shocked back to reality. He walked over to the box and unlocked it. As he lifted the lid, he could see that it was packed to the brim with money. There must have been nearly a billion yen in here, bundled up in cubes and stacked in rows, filling every last inch of the box.

 _"Well, mission fucking accomplished."_ Takuo sighed

Hajime stared down at all the money. It was abnormally clean, in comparison to everything else in the room. Hajime couldn't avert his gaze. He just stared at it, as if in a trance.

 _"We're gonna need to call HQ to get someone to pick this up… and a cleanup crew to take care of the bodies,"_ Takuo muttered, grumpily.

Just then, there was a sound. It sounded like something being dragged across the carpet. Shiratori was crawling across the floor, towards the exit. He was clawing at the ground and dragging his body, leaving a trail of smeared blood behind him. His head was dented from where Hajime had unexpectedly clocked him with the hammer, and it was bleeding profusely.

Takuo and Hajime turned to see him. Takuo's eyes narrowed. He looked to the floor and picked up the handgun from earlier. He walked over and stepped his foot onto the man's back. Shiratori froze absolutely still, his eyes wide. He craned his neck and looked up at Takuo slowly. Takuo casually brought the gun down, aiming the barrel with the man's skull

 _"W-wait... Hold on!"_ ***Bang***

The gun went off, followed by a muffled squishing sound. The man lay still, his eyes facing off to the side. The smell of gunpowder and sulfur filled the air. Hajime stood motionless, staring at Takuo. For a few long moments, there was silence.

 _"Do you get it now? Take a good look around you, Hinata,"_ he said before turning to Hajime. He stared coldly and spoke in a cold, somber tone.

 _"This... is what we are."_


	13. Chapter 13

Hajime stared up at the ceiling. He lay sprawled out on the bed with his arms at his sides and had scarcely moved from that spot for the past week. He slowly breathed in and out, in a sleepless state of rest. The sun was peeking through the cracked blinds, projecting a zebra-like pattern on the beige wall, across from his bed. The night had come and gone with scarcely a wink of sleep.

Hajime sat up in the bed and placed his hand to his face, sighing dejectedly. He looked around the room, which was strewn with clothes. His folding table was cluttered with ramen cups and delivery food boxes. How many days at passed? He had lost track. It had all blurred together. He grabbed his phone and glumly scanned through his notifications. As he did so, the alarm went off, which he quickly silenced by his thumb.

He dropped his phone on the bed carelessly and hobbled over to the bathroom. When he looked in the mirror, he hardly recognized himself. His eyes were bloodshot and had heavy bags under them. His hair was even more dischelved than usual and his skin was pale.

His dingy abode was smaller than his dorm room and didn't even have a proper bath. Instead it had a shower, for space efficiency. Hajime stripped down and stepped into the lukewarm water. Once again, he lost track of time as he stood under the water. He had been taking much longer showers than usual and more frequent. It was the only time he felt he could truly be at ease, but no matter how many times he showered he still felt unclean. I could never wash away the memories of that night.

Hajime stepped out of the bathroom in a pair of shorts, with a white towel dangling around his neck. He slipped on a fresh white T shirt. Fresh bandaids had been applied to his fingernails. Thankfully, they had healed up quite well. He sat on his bed, cross legged and picked up his phone. He noticed that he had several texts from Natsumi.

 **"Hiya :)"**

 **"Holding up well?"**

 **"I miss you... 3"**

Those texts were from 6 days prior. Hajime had read them, but hadn't responded to them. Each day she had sent him texts, checking up on him and telling him about school life. But he had scarcely made any responses. They were usually single word. "Sure" or "Cool." At this point, it was obvious that something was wrong. Her new texts confronted him on it.

 **"Are you mad at me?"**

Hajime sighed and typed back, **"No. Not at all,"** and set his phone down. It went off again.

 **"Are you sure? :/"**

 **"Yes"** he responded shortly.

 **"Then whats wrong?"**

Hajime put his hand to his face and sighed raggedly. He couldn't possibly tell her what had happened. It just wouldn't be right to put that burden on her. He didn't want her to worry. He went to type "nothing" as a response, but before he could even send it, his phone started to ring. It startled him, but he already knew who it was. He brought it to his ear.

 _"Hello?"_

 _"Hey..."_ Natsumi responded quietly. _"So what's up?"_

 _"Nothing much..."_

 _"What's been going on with you lately?"_ She continued to pry.

 _"I don't know what you mean,"_ he obfuscated.

 _"Bullshit... I don't buy that."_

 _"Everything's fine, Natsumi."_

 _"You don't sound fine! You sound half dead! What happened?"_ She asked with anger and concern in her voice.

 _"Work's just been a little rough lately. But I'm getting through it."_

 _"Then tell me about it. Vent at me. I don't mind. Just don't shut me out."_

 _"I... I'm sorry. That's not what I was trying to do. Im sorry."_ He sighed, defeatedly, as he leaned back against the wall. Natusmi paused for a moment. She was also sitting on her bed as she talked to him.

 _"Would you feel better if we could talk about this stuff in person?"_

 _"In person?"_ He asked, perking up a little and sitting forward, at attention.

 _"Yeah. I could be down there tomorrow."_

 _"Tomorrow? What about your schoolwork?"_

 _"You are such a goddamn nerd."_ Natsumi teased. _"My grades are fine. I can take a day or two off. School's out tomorrow anyway. It's no big deal."_

Hajime began to feel a sense of ease coming over him. He scratched his head and leaned back against the wall.

 _"Ok. That sounds good... Thanks Natsumi."_

 _"What are you thinking me for? I'm your girlfriend, idiot."_

 _"R-right." Hajime chuckled awkwardly._

 _"I love you, Hajime."_

As she said that, Hajime's burden was eased for a moment. It was like a quick glimmer of sunlight had pierced through the murky storm. It was just enough to help him maintain his sanity and stop himself from completely slipping into despair.

"I love you too," he replied.

After pulling himself out of bed, Hajime began to clean up his cluttered hovel of an apartment. He spent the entire morning doing dishes, gathering up his laundry, and vacuuming the floor. He didn't want it to look like a dump if Natsumi came to visit. It was mildly relaxing and it further helped him to get his mind out of its dark haze. It was if he was slowly restoring order and structure to his life, one step at a time.

As he was folding his clothes, his phone went off. It hummed against the wood of his dresser, and the noise shocked him to attention. He walked over and picked it up. The name on the caller ID made his blood run cold. It was Takuo. It was as if all the negative emotions and anxiety came flooding back into his body.

 _"Hello?"_ Hajime asked, as he picked up the phone.

 _"I'm outside. Get dressed. We are going out,"_ he said, flatly, before hanging up. Hajime wasn't even given a chance to say "yes" or "no." He just stood there for a second, stunned.

A few minutes later, Hajime emerged from the apartment, wearing a grey jacket. He still looked somewhat disheveled and his hair was more messy than usual. He saw that Takuo was waiting in his car in the parking lot. Hajime sulked over and entered the passenger side.

As he entered, Hajime saw that Takuo's right arm was in a cast and was supported by a sling. This meant that he was driving purely one-handed, which struck Hajime as somewhat unsafe.

 _"Shouldn't you still be in the hospital?"_ Hajime asked, in a concerned tone.

 _"I'm fine. What are you, my mom now?"_ Takuo grumbled as he shifted the car into gear and drove off. He was pretty adept at steering with one hand. The two young men sat in silence as they rode. Hajime wanted to ask more about how Takuo was doing, but didn't want to pry.

Takuo let out a sigh as they drove. _"The damage on my arm is pretty bad. I'm not gonna lie. Even after it heals, I won't have much use of my right arm anymore. I won't even be able to clench my fist. Needless to say… my work in the field is done. Looks like I'll be pushing pencils from now on."_

Hajime felt like a rock had been placed in his stomach. He looked down at the floor of the car.

 _"I'm… sorry."_

 _"It is what it is."_ Takuo responded.

Hajime turned to look window, as Takuo continued to focus on driving. The two of them didn't exchange any more words for the rest of the drive.

The two of them sat at the grill silently. Hajime's ice water clinked as the cubes shifted and settled. Muffled laughter could be heard emanating from the other rooms. Takuo sat somberly, with his arm in a sling. Hajime sat with his hands clasped, resting on the table. He was still in a zombie-like haze and Takuo honestly wasn't sure what to say. Finally he let out an annoyed sigh.

 _"Hinata... This-"_

He was cut off as the door to the room opened, and the waiters delivered the tray of meats and ingredients for cooking. Neither Takuo or Hajime thanked them, but the servicers didn't seem to care. As quickly as they had come, they departed the room. Takuo let out a "tch" noise as he took his chopsticks and placed a few strips of meat on the grill.

 _"That mission was rough. Things got ugly... but what happened, happened. You shouldn't dwell on it"_

Hajime was silent as Takuo spoke. He stared at the sizzling meat with a blank, exhausted expression.

 _"Every one of those guys knew what they were getting into. They knew the risks. They aggressed against the Kuzuryu-gumi and they faced the consequences."_

 _"Whatever you say,"_ Hajime responded, flatly and glumly, as he placed meat on the grill as well.

 _"The first kill is always the hardest. They really make you... feel it. What you did wasn't easy, but you did it nonetheless. You'll learn to live with it, eventually."_

Hajime thought back to the picture he had seen. The photo of the man's happy family, who would now have a black nuclear shadow where the father and husband once stood. Were **they** going to be able to just "live with it?" He stared intensely down at the table, clutching his hands, almost as if he was praying. To what god, he did not know. Anyone who would let him attone.

 _"Listen, Hajime. I've been a part of the Kuzuryu-gumi my whole life. I've killed... a lot of guys. Some of them didn't even have it coming."_

 _"Do you ever... regret it?"_ Hajime asked, cautiously.

 _"Regret isn't a word in our vocabulary, Hajime. We fight. We survive. We win. We dominate. Regret doesn't help us. It only holds us back."_

 _"But do you ever feel it, Takuo?"_

Takuo paused for a moment. He flipped the meat on the grill, causing it to pop and sizzle.

 _"There was this one time... There was a guy, a businessman. I don't remember what he did exactly. It was something like... embezzling funds or selling info to the authorities. Something that will land you in deep shit. When leadership caught wind of it, they wanted his head. So, I was sent in. I dragged him out of his nice summer home where he was hiding out. I threw him in the trunk and drove him out to a property in the countryside. Ironically, it used to be a slaughter house, and that's what the Kuzuryu-gumi use it for now. I locked him in a room. The guy begged me. He told me all about his family and how he would do anything to make it up to the clan. But at that point it was too late for that. The man was one of those religious nuts and he started praying. He just wouldn't shut up. So, I told that guy... I told him that he had an hour. And I told him that he could pray to whatever god he wanted. And if something happened to intervene, some kind of miracle, then we would let him go…_ No miracle ever happened for him. _"_

Takuo paused and took a drink of his tea. He stayed silent for a few moments after that, looking down with a furrowed brow. Hajime just stared at him, unable to look away.

 _"I regret that one. I shouldn't have done that. I shouldn't have told him that. That was... a shitty thing to do."_

Hajime was silent. Takuo pulled the meat off the grill and dropped the pieces onto his plate.

 _"Don't think you can go around with a chip on your shoulder, Hajime. Don't think that you can carry yourself like some kind of monster either. Because you're not. You haven't earned that title. Understand?"_

Hajime looked him in the eyes. For the first time he saw meaning and genuine respect in the young man's eyes. Takuo had never been earnest like this with him before. Hajime knew that he was speaking from his heart. For some reason, Hajime felt tears welling up in his eyes. He didn't mean to and the last thing he wanted to do was cry in front of Takuo. He covered his eyes with his arm. He nodded and spoke with ragged breaths.

 _"Yes... Thanks, Takuo."_

After finishing their meal, Takuo swung by Hajime's apartment and ordered him to get his exercise clothes. After that, they made their way to the gym.

 _"Even though you're on leave until further notice, that doesn't mean you are exempt from training. Training isn't a job. It's a lifestyle. You cant let yourself deteriorate,"_ Takuo instructed, as the windshield wipers swung back and forth, swiping away the drizzling rain.

 _"Right. Sorry. I've just not felt up to it lately,"_ Hajime responded, honestly. He had been in such a mire of apathy, that he barely had the strength to get out of bed.

 _"That's exactly why you need to keep going to gym. It's more important than ever at times like this. Don't let me catch you lazing off again, understand?"_

 _"Yes sir,"_ Hajime grumbled.

As Hajime and Takuo entered the gymnasium, one by one, the Yakuza guys started to take notice of them. A few them tapped their workout partner's shoulders and gestured over to the duo. A few of the men called out.

 _"Yo! Look who it is! Its the mother fucking Hammer, up in here!"_

 _"Sup, Hamma-san!"_

 _"The Hammer Meister, in the house!"_

Hajime soon found himself surrounded by guys, eagerly greeting him. He was shocked, caught off guard and unsure of what to say. One of them, with a buzz cut and tattoos running from his neck to his abdomen, patted Hajime on the back.

 _"Bruh, I heard what you did! I'm proud of ya, kid,"_ he said with a thumbs up.

Another one of the men was just as confused as Hajime. _"Whatcha' talkin about? What did he do?"_ he asked.

The other man proudly answered. _"This motherfucker iced three guys on his first assignment! What a savage! Don't piss this kid off, if ya know what's good for ya."_

Another one put his hand on Hajime's shoulder _. "Dude, if you ever need someone to pick up the tab, drinks are on me. Capeesh?"_ the man said with a friendly, boisterous grin. Hajime wasn't sure how to process all this praise or how to feel about the whole situation.

 _"B-but i'm not old enough to drink,"_ Hajime protested with an awkward smile. This elicited an uproarious laugh from the rest of the men. They must have assumed he was joking.

 _"Man, this guy is a riot. Where did you find this kid, Takuo?"_ one of them asked. Takuo brushed him off irritatedly.

 _"That's enough! Hajime's here to train! You fangirls can swoon over him when we're finished!"_

 _"Oh? You're on a first name basis now? Damn, Takuo's gone soft,"_ one of them mocked.

Takuo grit his teeth angrily and grabbed the man by the collar with his only functioning arm. The man panicked a little as Takuo was still intimidating, even with only one arm usable.

 _"I've gone soft, huh?... That's not what your wife said."_

The rest of the men burst out into jeers and "ooh"s. They were all laughing except for Takuo and the guy he had in his grip.

 _"Still picking fights, even with a broken arm? You never change, Takuo."_

Yudai Sagara walked up to them, with his hands in his pockets. Takuo turned to see him and let go of the squirming Yakuza. Yudai looked over to Hajime and smirked.

 _"You're really making a name for yourself, Hinata. It looks like we cant let you out of our sight for 2 minutes without you performing some new miraculous feat."_

 _"Don't feed his ego, Sagara. That is the last thing he needs,"_ Takuo scoffed.

 _"Hey. Credit where credit is due. That's my motto,"_ Yudai grinned. _"It looks like you've even got yourself a nickname, "Hinata the Hammer." It's got a nice ring to it"_

 _"I'm... not really sure how I feel about that..."_ Hajime mumbled.

 _"Just embrace it. The more you fight it, the more it will stick. That's how nicknames work,"_ he said with a chuckle.

 _"Let's just get to business already,"_ Takuo interjected.

 _"Right,"_ Yudai said respectfully. _"Hajime, I will take over your training for the remainder of your internship, while Takuo is recovering from his injuries."_

 _"I see,"_ Hajime said as he felt a slight sense of disappointment that his training was over with Takuo. He never thought he would miss it.

 _"Don't worry. I won't be putting you into some all new training program. I'm really just here to polish a few things and keep you on Takuo's training regiment. That's all,"_ he assured the young man.

 _"I understand. Thanks for your time, Yudai. I am very honored,"_ Hajime replied respectfully.

 _"I guess I'll leave him to you, then,"_ Takuo sighed as he turned to walk away.

 _"Remember to get lots of sleep... and drink your orange juice!"_ Yudai called after him.

 _"Fuck off,"_ Takuo grunted back.

Hajime smiled to himself. After getting to know Takuo, his opinion of the man had changed a lot over the past few months. He turned to Yudai, _"I have a question."_

 _"What is it, Hajime?"_ Yudai responded.

 _"What is Takuo's last name? I don't think i've ever heard it."_

Yudai scratched his head and smiled awkwardly. _"Well... he doesn't really have one."_

 _"Huh? What do you mean?"_ Hajime asked, perplexed.

 _"Takuo was abandoned as an infant. The Oyabun took him in and gave him a roof over his head. He was trained since childhood to be the perfect Yakuza. So, if you wonder why he's such a hardass about this stuff, that's it. The Kuzuryu-gumi is literally his entire life."_

Hajime watched as Takuo walked out of the door. He felt a strange feeling of pity. Takuo had never chosen this life. He was raised in this environment from birth. There was a chasm of difference between the two of them that could never be truly filled. Hajime wondered what kind of person he would be, if he had led such a life himself.

Hajime stood in the train station lobby, checking his watch literally every minute. He wore casual fall wear. He donned soft gray jacket with a popped collar, that could zip up the neck for maximum warmth. He also wore comfortable black jeans. As this was obviously a date, Hajime didn't want to wear his work clothes and opted for something more natural.

Natsumi stepped off the train and made her way through the crowd. She dragged a small suitcase on wheels behind her as she walked. The blonde girl wore a casual, white, button up shirt and a plaid skirt. Her legs were encased in warm black tights, that protected them from the moderately chilly air. A red scarf was wrapped around her neck, snuggly.

Natsumi turned her head from side to side, scanning for Hajime, and her eyes lit up as she got him in her sights. She spied his black ahoge in the crowd, sticking up above everyone else's heads. She hurried over to him, with a warm, genuine smile on her face. She then realized that his back was turned to her. So, she slowly crept up to him and then placed her hands over his eyes.

" _Guess who_ ," she whispered in his ear. Hajime jolted in surprise as she blinded him, but then calmed down. He could feel the girl's warm breath on his ear and could hear her soft inhales and exhales.

" _... Come on, Fuyuhiko. Do you have to greet me like this, every time?_ " He joked.

Natsumi smirked and did her best to imitate Fuyuhiko's gruff, irritable voice.

 _"I'll do whatever I want, ya bastard! I heard you've been making out with my sister! Any last words, buddy?"_ she mocked.

Hajime smiled. _"Those are… completely baseless rumors,"_ he said before removing her hands from his eyes, turning around, and pressing his lips to hers. Natsumi put her hands on his shoulders, pulling herself up slightly, as she kissed him back. The two of them didn't linger on it too long, as they were in a crowded space. Afterwards they looked into each other's eyes for a long moment.

 _"If my brother finds out about us, I don't think kissing him is gonna turn out well,"_ she teased.

 _"Dang. Looks like I need to come up with a plan B then,"_ Hajime said with a grin.

After swinging by Natsumi's hotel room, to drop of her luggage, the two of them walked the shopping district together, exploring the stores and restaurants. They stopped in a famous coffee cafe and each grabbed a caffeinated beverage. Natsumi got a frozen mocha and Hajime got a warm cappuccino. The two of them sipped their drinks as they walked.

 _"So how has the internship been going? They haven't been overworking you, have they?"_ Natsumi inquired.

 _"Nah. Its fine. Right now i'm actually on leave for a while,"_ he explained.

 _"Cool… um, I've been wondering... How do I put this?... Have they made you do anything weird? Stuff that would get you in trouble?"_ she asked.

Hajime tensed up a little, as if she had pinched a nerve, but he tried to play it off.

 _"It's been… a little rough, I guess. I mean, the training was pretty tough, and I had to work in the casino which was pretty stressful. Also I've been working assignments with Takuo."_

 _"What kind of assignments?"_

 _"Well, you know. Just basic stuff like intel, talking to people, and getting back stolen money. Stuff like that,"_ he explained vaguely. As he did so, Natsumi looked at him with slight skepticism. She could tell he was hiding something from her, but at the same time she trusted him more than anyone and she wasn't going to interrogate him.

Hajime really wanted to change the subject, so he steered the conversation away from himself.

 _"So, how are things going at Hope's Peak?"_ he asked. Natsumi's expression became serious and she glared forward in concentration.

 _"Honestly, it's not good. There has been a lot of weird shit going on lately. That whole Yakuza craze isn't dying down. It's actually getting worse. Students are forming their own little gangs now."_

Hajime was shocked by this. _"Wait, what? Gangs? Seriously? At Hope's Peak?"_

 _"Yeah. I'm not kidding. I can't tell you how many people have come up to me and asked for the Kuzuryu's blessing. Or they think I can recruit them into the Kuzuryu-gumi. There have been more fights too. Students are getting suspended left and right. A bunch of guys even set up this after school fight club. Its mental."_

 _"Why is this happening? You and your brother have nothing to do with it, right?"_

 _"Of course we don't, but everyone is suspicious of us now. This whole thing started after the mall incident, but… I don't know. If this was just a fad, it should have faded away by now. I get the feeling that… something weird is going on at Hope's Peak."_

Hajime pondered for a moment, with grave concern. _"When we get back, I'll have to look into it,"_ Hajime assured her.

 _"Woah, wait a minute. Don't go doing anything dangerous or stupid. If you ended up getting hurt again, I… I just…"_

 _"I won't do anything dangerous. I promise you."_

 _"Hmmh…. You better not, or I'll kick your ass."_ the blonde girl teased.

They eventually decided to break away from the shopping district and headed towards a park where couples often took walks together. As they walked, Hajime lightly grazed her hand with his. They didn't need to speak or even make eye contact, as she instinctively clutched his hand.

 _"This feels so weird,"_ Natsumi remarked as they walked.

 _"What? Are my hands cold?"_ he asked.

 _"No. It's just weird that… well, here we are... holding hands, walking around like a regular couple. I just… never pictured something like this happening."_

 _"I know what you mean,"_ Hajime agreed. _"When I first met you, that day when you first showed up at school, I never would have thought that I would end up falling for you."_

Natsumi's cheeks flushed red and she looked away, furrowing her brow. _"There you go, saying embarrassing shit again."_ Her expression then slowly changed to a warm smile and she continued. _"I never thought I would hear stuff like that from someone. I always had a vision of what my future would look like. I always fantasized that I was going to grow up to be some kind of badass Yakuza and be like my brother and father. But honestly… I don't feel like I need that anymore."_

 _"So... what does your future look like now?"_ he asked.

Once again, a warm blush crept across the blonde girl's cheeks and she looked away. A subtle smile crossed her pink lips. _"Maybe I'll tell you later"_

As the couple continued their walk, Hajime felt the effects of his coffee beginning to kick in. As it was necessitated by his fitness goals, Hajime made a concerted effort to remain hydrated, inside and outside the gym. Thus, he was constantly drinking water. The addition of coffee, a powerful diuretic, quickly took an adverse effect. He was forced to pause their walk and look for the nearest restroom. There was a convenience store on the way back to Natsumi's hotel, so Hajime made use of it. Natsumi patiently waited outside for him, as he conducted nature's business.

After about 5 minutes, Hajime stepped out of the convenience store and looked around for Natsumi. He then spotted her, standing with her arms crossed. She was being accosted by 3 young men. They looked to be of college age, although it was doubtful that they attended college. They looked thuggish and had alcohol on their breath, from club hopping. They hadn't put their hands on her or anything like that, but they were invading her personal space. Natsumi sneered at the guys, donning her old fashioned "bitch face."

 _"Come on, baby. We can get ya into any of the clubs,"_ one of them proposed, as Natsumi scoffed in disgust.

 _"We'll even pick up the tab for your drinks, because we're gentlemen like that,"_ another one bribed.

 _"Tch. Like I would go anywhere with a bunch of bottom rung dregs like you. How about you guys go suck each other off, because that's the only action that any of you are gonna get,"_ she spat in a smarmy, venomous tone.

One of the guys put their hand on her shoulder. _"Come on, baby. Loosen up a little. No need to be so hostile. We've got some stuff that could help ya mellow out. By the looks of things, you could use it."_

Natsumi slapped the man's hand away. _"Uuuuh, no. I don't think so. Here's an idea. How about all three of you go OD in a ditch and die."_ she said with a smug, cocky grin.

Hajime then cleared his throat. _"Ahem'... Is there a problem here?"_

One of the guys turned to him with a dismissive sneer. _"Piss off, pretty boy. We're having a conversation with the lady here."_

Natsumi then pushed her way between two of the guys, and walked over to Hajime, putting her arms around his.

 _"This pretty boy just happens to be my boyfriend. So, I bet you guys feel preeetty stupid right about now."_ she smirked as she planted a kiss on Hajime's cheek. The guys were surprised at first and Hajime could read the anger and jealousy on their faces.

One of them whispered to the others, _"Fuck this, man. Let's get out of here."_

 _"Tch. You could have told us that earlier bitch. Thanks for wasting our time,"_ one of them snarled at Natsumi, as he put his hands in his pockets and tilted his head. Natsumi just chuckled and stuck her tongue out at them. Hajime, on the other hand, wanted to diffuse this more diplomatically.

 _"Sorry for the misunderstanding, guys. Let's just agree to part ways. I wish you the best of luck,"_ he said calmly. At this point he was far more adept at dealing with belligerent drunks.

 _"Psh. Whatever. Lets go, guys,"_ the leader said as the three men turned to walk away. Hajime let out a sigh of relief.

 _"Please, Hajime. You don't need to apologize to thirsty gutter toads like that. They should know their place,"_ the girl mocked and laughed loudly.

At that moment, the guys stopped in their tracks and turned around. Their gaze was narrowed and the began to advance towards the couple.

 _(Dammit Natsumi...)_

 _"You shoulda kept your bitch in line, buddy,"_ one of them said as he cracked his knuckles, _"I think it's time for a manners lesson."_

Natsumi stood her ground and clenched her fists at her sides. Hajime was much more analytical about the situation. First, he scanned their bodies up and down, sizing them up and checking for any weapons. None of them appeared to be armed, but they could still be concealing edged weapons. He also analyzed the position of Natsumi, himself, and the three men. He knew that the blonde girl did not have combat training or even a proper stance to deal with this situation.

Hajime stepped forward and placed his hand on Natsumi's abdomen, pushing her backwards and causing her to accidentally trip and land on her rear end.

 _"Stay back,"_ he ordered her in a serious tone, as the men advanced towards him. One of them swung at him with an awkward hook. he ducked underneath it effortlessly and planted a punch in the man's stomach. Hajime weaved between the men, dodging their blows and countering them expertly. He grabbed one of them by the back of the neck and the wrist of his right arm before slamming him face first into a wall.

One of the men managed to land a punch on Hajime, but it glanced off his cheek with minimal damage, due to Hajime's reflexes. One of the men pulled himself off the ground and drew a small thrusting dagger from a strap on his thigh. He gripped it between his middle and index fingers and lunged up at Hajime. The young man caught the assailant's wrist and twisted it upward, causing the man to yelp in pain. Hajime then slammed his palm into the man's chin.

All three of the men had injuries at this point and were half dazed. "What the hell is with this guy?" one of them whined.

Hajime looked over to see that Natsumi was still sitting on the ground. _"Natsumi! Are you alright?"_ he asked, as she stared up at him in awe. He reached down to help her up. She took his hand and he pulled her to her feet. She still stared at him speechless.

 _"Wait... did he say Natsumi? As in... Natsumi Kuzuryu?!"_ one of the guys said with fear in his voice.

 _"No way... I thought I recognized her! Thats the fucking Oyabun's daughter!"_ one of them said, as his face went pale.

 _"N-now wait... we didn't know. No harm, no foul right?"_ one of the men pleaded as he crawled over to Hajime

All three of the men bowed down in a row, with their faces to the ground. _"Please forgive us. We didn't mean it,"_ they begged. Hajime crossed his arms and stared down at them coldly.

 _"You have 10 seconds to run."_

 _"W-what?"_ one of them responded in confusion.

 _"Did he forgive us or not?"_ another asked.

 _"9...8...7..."_ Hajime counted down. In a flash the men sprinted off in the opposite direction, faster than he had seen anyone run before. Hajime exhaled a sigh of relief, before turning to Natsumi angrily.

 _"What the hell, Natsumi?! Why did you have to provoke them like that! What were you..."_

Natsumi just stared at him wide eyed, with flushed cheeks. She had a look of awe in her eyes.

 _"You were... amazing..."_ she spoke earnesty. Hajime's anger was diffused and he scratched his head, blushing crimson.

 _"Well... I just... you know... did what I had t-"_

He was interrupted as Natsumi moved in, placed her hand on his cheek and pressed her lips to his. Hajime instinctively placed his hands on her lower back and kissed her back. The two of them were locked in that kiss for what felt like forever, under the flickering street light above them.

The two of them burst into Natsumi's hotel room with a fury that nearly knocked pictures off the walls. As soon as the door shut, the two set upon each other. Hajime pulled the blonde haired vixen towards him. She reached up, clutched the back of his head and pressed her lips to his. What surprised her was how strongly Hajime returned the favor. He was filled with a rigor she hadn't seen before.

Something primal had awakened in the young man. The chemicals released in his brain set him adrift in a sea of pent up, adrenaline fueled arousal. In those moments, he had become a stone age man, in a postmodern world. He channeled the same rigor as a returning warrior, in a frenzied rush to reunite with his mate. Instincts, conviction, and passion intertwined into an unstoppable force, and Natsumi felt it emanating from him. That feeling awakened something inside her as well, urges equally primitive and equally strong.

Natsumi's hands traced up his body and felt up his noticeably more muscular chest and abs. She breathed heavily as she kissed him. Ordinarily she would have said something sly and teasing right now, but this was different. For the first time, she saw him not as a mere boyfriend but as a man, whom she deeply respected. She wanted him now, more than ever.

Lost in the moment, it surprised her when she found her back against the wall. His right hand planted on the wall to her side and his left hand clutched onto her shoulder, firmly. He had never assumed such a dominant posture with her before, but she certainly didn't mind. She allowed him move in and kiss her neck, closing her eyes and sighing euphorically. She reached down and unbuttoned his shirt, as he did the same for her. With Hajime's assistance, she tugged away his top and tossed it aside. Her eyes went wide as she saw how toned his body had become. Her cheeks even tinted a little red.

Hajime's cheeks were red as well, as Natsumi's bra and ample assets were on display, with her unbuttoned top teasingly draped over them. She gently took his hand and placed it on one of them while never breaking eye contact. he could feel the warmth of her body and the gentle rhythm of her heartbeat. Like his, it was much faster than usual. She gave him a warm, reassuring smile.

No words were necessary between them. The next thing either of them knew, they were in bed together. Over the course of the night, the two of them would expend every last ounce of energy they possessed, and then some. Nature took its course that night and the both of them were merely along for the ride. By the end of it. the two of them lay panting, partially draped by the bed spread. Natsumi had passed out from exhaustion, contentedly resting her head on Hajime's chest, clinging onto him tightly.

Hajime was in a daze of dopamine. His brain was still swimming in pleasurable endorphins. He slowly breathed in and out. All of his anxiety and pain had washed away. His head was clear for the first time. He felt absolutely at peace with the world. He gently stroked Natsumi's golden hair as she snoozed lazily against him. Hajime closed his eyes and sleep finally returned to him, after its long absence. That night, he slept more soundly than he ever had before.


	14. Chapter 14

Natsumi stood in the elevator, with her arms crossed. She watched the glowing panel above the doorway flicker and count up the floors as it ascended the building. Her foot tapped nervously and she clutched her own arm. Part of her wished that Hajime was there too, but this was something she had to handle herself.

The door finally let out a dinging noise, as she reached the top floor. It opened up to a large executive office. The first section of the room was oval shaped. The walls were lined with bookshelves. There were also rectangular pillars of glass that housed priceless artifacts and heirlooms. Beyond that, stairs led up to another large room with a desk at its center. Behind the desk were massive bay windows that gave a stunning view of the cityscape. The glass was bulletproof, but that was impossible to tell by looking at it.

The Oyabun stood, gazing out the window. He had his hands comfortably behind his back as he did so. He watched as the blurry chains of lights wormed their way through the streets below. His posture was as dignified and authoritative as usual.

 _"It's been a while since you've been up here, hasn't it Natsumi?"_

 _"Yes… I guess it has."_

 _"You were still in primary school, if my memory serves. You used to spend all your free time up here chasing your brother around. I miss those days sometimes,"_ he chuckled.

Natsumi blushed slightly at this, but felt a warm feeling of nostalgia creeping over her. However, her smile was less certain, than her father's.

 _"I do too but… I have to be honest about something, dad."_

 _"What is it?"_ he asked.

 _"Those memories mean alot to me, but let's not have rose tinted glasses. I spent a lot of time up here because I had no real friends."_ Natsumi said, bitterly.

 _"Of course. Forgive me if i'm a overly nostalgic. When you get to be my age, you tend to filter out the negative memories and focus on the positive ones. I'm aware now, that things weren't always easy for you. I was oblivious to the problems you and your brother faced. And for that, I am sorry."_

 _"It's ok, dad…"_ Natsumi said, looking away. The Oyabun walked over to his desk, where an iron kettle of tea brewed hearty imported Earl Gray tea.

 _"It's far from the only thing I have to atone for. My failures as a father have been… numerous. I barely deserve that title, to be honest."_ he said, as he took out two tea cups and slowly poured some for himself and for Natsumi.

 _"Don't say that about yourself, daddy!"_ Natsumi exclaimed angrily.

 _"Did you just call me daddy? I haven't heard that in quite a while. Does that mean I can go back to calling you Princess?"_ he said with a smug grin.

Natsumi gave a pouty, angry glare, as he cheeks flushed red. _"No. It doesn't."_

 _"Anyway… As I was saying, Natsumi,"_ he said calmly as he dropped sugar cubes into the drinks. _"My errors… my moral failures as a father have hurt Fuyuhiko and you most of all. I assumed that was why you wished to speak with me."_

Natsumi looked away, with a unsure, ponderous look on her face. _"The arranged marriage… You really should have known better."_

 _"More than you know. It was the worst decision I ever made. I shouldn't have listened to those around me at the time. I should have exercised my authority and stopped it from happening. I should have stood up for you."_

 _"Yes, you should have... but we can't change what happened. You did what you thought was best for the clan at the time. I'm not blind to that. But I will tell you something, dad."_ She said as she looked in his eyes with seriousness and conviction. _"If Hajime had died, I never would have forgiven you."_

 _"Understandable. He means a lot to you, doesn't he?"_

Natsumi felt a tangible ache in her chest and fluttering sensation in her stomach as he asked her that. Her face was easy to read.

 _"Yes. He does. And that is why I'm here. I want to know what happened him over the past few weeks. He wont tell me, but I know that something happened to him. I need to know the truth, and you're going to tell me,"_ she demanded.

 _"You came all the way here for that?"_

 _"Yes"_

Matsushige paused for a moment as Natsumi made strong eye contact with him this time. He sighed and leaned against the desk, taking a sip of his tea. He outstretched his arm and gestured towards one of the chairs.

 _"Have a seat, Natsumi,"_ He offered, as the blonde girl still kept her gaze locked with his. She sat down and took her cup of tea in her hands, warming them up.

 _"As you know, Hajime has been undergoing formal training and working in his internship. It's been simple grunt work, for the most part. During the final stretch of his training, he accompanied his trainer on missions. They were pretty standard assignments."_

Natsumi had a creeping sense of unease as he told her this. She held her cup tightly and looked up at him with apprehension. _"What… what did you make him do?"_

 _"Hajime and his partner were given an assignment to retrieve some stolen money and… things went awry. This situation got out of control, but Hajime pulled through."_

Natsumi looked at him, aghast and snarled angrily _"Things went awry?! What the fuck kind of explanation is that?! What happened to him?! Tell me the truth!"_

The Oyabun was calm and he closed his eyes in understanding, as Natsumi blew up at him.

 _"Listen, Natsumi. I'm not at liberty to say what happened. I don't feel that it is my place to do so. Also I would like to make a request of you."_

Natsumi looked at him quizzically, with anger still in her eyes.

 _"I would ask you to… spare him."_

"Spare him?" Natsumi asked, more confused than anything.

 _"Don't try to reopen his wounds. If he wants to tell you, let it be of his own accord. Don't force it on him."_

 _"What?! Dad… I can't just…"_

 _"I know that you love this boy. I've known that for a while. But because of that, you need to understand that there will be boundaries, that you don't cross."_

Natsumi was silent at this point. She looked down at her tea, scowling and distraught.

 _"When a man goes off to war, he doesn't want to bring that war back home with him. He doesn't want his loved ones to share those burdens. You may think that's selfish, but that is the way of things. That is the burden of men throughout all of history and I would ask you to respect that."_

Natsumi stared down with deeply conflicting emotions swirling in her head. She felt almost dizzy. She had no rebuttal to what he said. She just sat there, speechless. Matsushige placed his hand on her shoulder.

 _"I could not be happier that you found a man like Hajime. So, please be there for him and know that you have my full blessing."_

 _"B-blessing? W-wait? What are you…"_ she asked in shock, looking up at him, her face beet red.

 _"I just want to put your mind at ease,"_ he said with an assuring smile. Natsumi just huffed in embarrassment and angrily sipped down her tea.

 _"I'm glad that we had this talk, princess. We should have had it a long time ago. After work, we should go out for dinner. You, Hajime and I."_ he said, walking around to sit in the chair behind the desk. The morning sun was slowly rising over the cityscape and soon his busy work day would begin.

 _"Wait, dad. There's still something…"_ Natsumi said quietly

He looked up curiously. _"Hmm? What is it?"_

She steeled herself and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. _"I… I want to know about mom."_

 _"Your mother?"_ he asked. Natsumi gave a silent nod in reply.

 _"What brought this on?"_ he asked calmly.

 _"It doesn't matter, does it?"_

 _"...I suppose it doesn't"_

There was a long pause between the two of them. Matsushige rubbed his chin and thought deeply for a few moments before proceeding.

 _"Your mother… Kaguya. She was… an incredible woman. You look just like her and you share so many things in common. You definitely have her beauty… and her temper."_

 _"How did you two meet?"_ she asked.

 _"Well… it was exactly under the best circumstances. Our marriage was… arranged by our parents at the time."_

 _"W-what? Seriously? You mean…"_

 _"Yes. It was much like what happened to you. Neither of us were really in favor of it, but we had responsibilities to uphold."_

 _"I see…"_ Natsumi trailed off. Now she almost regretted asking.

 _"Your mother was the heiress of a small but wealthy clan. The Akamatsu family was influential at the time and my father sought a partnership with them. It was a dark time for the Kuzuryu-gumi and we needed allies. That was simply the way things worked back then."_

 _"So, what she like?"_ Natsumi asked. Her father looked hesitant and would stare off to the right, occasionally..

 _"You definitely inherited her stubbornness. Your mother was… difficult., but despite all that, she truly cared about you and Fuyuhiko. She loved music and she would sing songs for you and your brother. Her voice was phenomenal."_

 _"I wish I could remember it…"_ Natsumi muttered, regretfully.

 _"I'm sure Fuyuhiko could tell you all about it."_

 _"So… what happened to her?"_ Natsumi asked after a long pause of silence. The Oyabun sighed and rested is elbows on the desk, interlacing his fingers.

"Towards the end of the clan wars, the situation was getting desperate on both sides. Entire families were being wiped out. Entire lineages were being extinguished. Your uncle, Daichi, for example. He was one of the greatest Yakuza in our family's history. He was a legend, but above all that, he was my brother... He was murdered in a car bombing. He was just one of many great men who were claimed by the war…"

Natsumi was dead silent. She was totally speechless as he explained this dark chapter of history, which she had no memory of. It was bewildering to think of how lucky she was to be born at the end of all this suffering, rather than the beginning.

 _"So, during this time, the Akamatsu family was growing displeased with our partnership. So, they conspired with the Minamoto clan and kidnapped your mother. They intended on using her as leverage to disgrace the Kuzuryu-gumi and urge other clans to their side. They held a summit and were preparing to wipe us out for good, all while using your mother as a hostage. It looked like they had finally won. However, it turned out that history would not be on their side."_

"The night of retribution?" Natsumi mumbled, looking away.

 _"Where did you hear that?"_ he asked her in surprise. This event was not commonly talked about. Natsumi didn't respond.

 _"Then I guess you know how the story ends. The Kuzuryu-gumi made a surprise attack against the summit. The leadership of the Minamoto, Akamatsu, and many other clans were wiped out, in a single night. We were victorious. We ended the war that night. However, as a desperate measure, or maybe just out of spite... the Minamoto clan murdered your mother._ "

Natsumi felt numb as she heard this. It was surreal. She felt disconnected from the events he described. It felt like the backstory in a movie. It was difficult to accept that she had been living her life in ignorance. It was like learning about sex the first time and realizing how little you understood about the world before attaining that knowledge.

 _"It was a heavy price to pay. Your mother was a truly great woman. I would have done anything to save her. I want you to know that."_

Natsumi got out of her chair and walked over to one of the windows, gazing out at the city lights.

She didn't say anything for a while. She crossed her arms and stared bleakly, out the window. She let out a soft sigh and turned to her father.

 _"I know you would have. It wasn't your fault."_

 _"Yes it was. It falls upon my shoulders. I'm sorry, Natusmi,"_ he said, placing his hand on her shoulder. She turned and looked up at him. Her eyes were glistening, as she locked her gaze with his. She buried her face in his shoulder and wrapped her arms around him. He embraced his daughter warmly. She didn't know where the tears came from. They weren't mourning the mother which she never met, but rather the childhood she could have had if that piece wasn't missing. Somehow she was finally able to process her origins and accept it.

 _"I love you, daddy,_ " she spoke softly.

 _"I love you too princess,"_ he said, stroking her hair.

One Week Later

The sun slowly ascended over the Hope's Peak campus, casting a long dark shadow over the courtyard. The beams of light shot through the cracked blinds of Natsumi's dorm. The girl's face twitched as the rays landed on her face. Her eyes fluttered open and she rolled onto her back. She reached over to her nightstand and grabbed her phone, checking the time. Her alarm was set to go off in 30 minutes, so there was little use in going back to sleep.

She sat up on the bed and ran her hand through her messy, uncombed hair. She wore a T shirt and pajama bottoms, which were her usual sleeping attire. She sluggishly pulled herself out of bed and started her morning routine. It was safe to say that Natsumi was not a morning person. Her mornings were especially melancholy, now that she was back from her weekend escapade with Hajime. It was jarring, returning from a euphoric, romantic getaway to the daily grind of homework and responsibilities, yet, she somehow had made it through the week.

Natsumi's phone went off with its usual chirp, as she was brushing her teeth. She checked it and saw that the ID said "Mahiru." She picked it up and tapped the screen with her thumb, bringing up the message. It said the following:

" **Hey, I'm going bowling tonight with a few friends. Would you and Aiko like to come?** "

Natsumi swished water in her mouth and spat it into the sink. As she continued to brush her hair and tidy herself, she glanced down at the text again. It was a funny thing, that Mahiru would offer to hang out with her. Less than a year ago, such a thing would never have crossed either of their minds. However, they were now on better terms than they had ever been, even in elementary school. Natsumi found that she actually enjoyed hanging out with the ginger girl.

" **Sure why not** "

Natsumi gave her usual short response to the redhead. She didn't want her to think that she liked her **too** much, after all.

 **"Great! We can all meet by the fountain at 5:00PM. See you there ;)"**

She made a "tch" noise as she dried her hair, but she subtly smiled to herself.

Natsumi wore a casual skirt and sweater as she strolled up to the fountain. The courtyard was mostly empty, as students had already cleared out and gone home for the day. It was a peaceful, fall afternoon. The air was clean and brisk, but not too cold. As she approached, she saw a blonde haired girl in a long purple Kimono sitting on a bench.

( _Oh great..._ ) Natsumi groaned to herself inwardly.

Natsumi knew this girl. She was one of Mahiru's buddies from the main course. The "Ultimate Traditional Dancer," Hiyoko Saionji. She had a few run-ins with her, in the past. When Natsumi met her, Hiyoko was a petite, pigtailed little hellion, well known for her bratty demeanor and venomous tongue. She rivalled Natsumi in her ability to anger and belittle people. However, Hiyoko aired on the side of provocation and insult, rather than attempts at intimidation. The girl had an uncanny ability to run people up the wall and shower them with mockery and derision.

Natsumi herself had been on the verge of punching the little brat on multiple occasions, during their first few encounters. Mahiru was the only thing that held her back. As Natsumi built up her tolerance to Hiyoko's verbal abuse, Hiyoko always found new ways to push her buttons. It was a constant battle between the two of them. In the beginning, Natsumi had one thing she could always dangle above Hiyoko's head, quite literally. That thing was Hiyoko's height and womanly stature. If there was one chink in her armor, that was it.

However, as Natsumi approached the other blonde girl, she was once again reminded that she no longer had that weapon at her disposal. Hiyoko had hit a shocking growth spurt, earlier that year, and she now matched Natsumi in both stature and womanly proportions. In fact, the once child-like girl now actually outclassed Natsumi in these departments, albeit by only an inch or two. She abandoned her pigtails, in favor of one large ponytail. Hiyoko embraced a more mature and womanly appearance, despite retaining much of her childish attitude.

Natsumi approached, she could see that Hiyoko was casually squishing bugs with her sandals, muttering to herself, _"squish squish"_ with childish glee. The traditionally dressed girl didn't look up as Natsumi approached her.

 _"It's about time you showed up, Batsumi,"_ the girl said with a smug grin. _"My feet are getting cold. How about you lick them and warm them up for me"_ the young woman sneered as she wiggled her toes.

Natsumi glared at her and raised a skeptical eyebrow. _"Are you really gonna go bowling, dressed in that?"_ she asked, sizing up Hiyoko's traditional garb. This girl's loyalty to her cultural heritage was pretty extreme.

 _"Of course I am, Batsumi,"_ Hiyoko chuckled. _"And I'll still wipe the floor with you. Do you know why? Because I've got something called talent. You're not familiar with it are you?"_ she said with a condescending grin. Ordinarily this would really set Natsumi off, but she was almost accustomed to Hiyoko's remarks at this point.

 _"Yeah. You're really good at handling balls, aren't you Saionji?"_ Natsumi shot back, trying match the other girl in a game of wits. Hiyoko stood up out of the bench and put her hands behind her back. She leaned towards Natsumi and whispered.

 _"I dunno. How about you ask your boyfriend, bitch?_ " she said with a wink.

Natsumi grit her teeth angrily and blushed slightly as Hiyoko was able to hit a sore spot. The idea of her trying to seduce Hajime enraged her, even though she knew that would never happen. Her eye twitched as she suppressed her anger. She forced a grin and scoffed at Hiyoko.

 _"Tch… Yeah right, skank. Hajime wouldn't touch you with a telephone pole,"_ Natsumi sneered

Hiyoko shrugged and grinned smugly. _"Why wouldn't he? I'm basically a better version of you. Taller, sexier, better dressed… and I have a much better personality. You're basically obsolete garbage. You might as well find the nearest dumpster and just hop inside,"_ the girl scathed in her usual bratty, condescending tone. The venomous words poured effortlessly from her mouth, without any hesitation. No one else would dare talk to Natsumi like that. It was too much for Natsumi to even take seriously, at this point.

 _"You've got a lot of nerve talking to me like that, Saionji"_ Natsumi said with an icy glare.

 _"I'm just messing with you Batsumi. You aren't THAT ugly. In fact, you're just barely cute enough to be my slave,"_ she cooed, seductively.

Natsumi blushed in surprise and turned her head away, grumpily. She had gotten the distinct impression that hiyoko batted for both teams. Perhaps the mischievous girl just had a thing for domination, and gender wasn't her concern.

 _"Yeah. In your fucking dreams,"_ Natsumi snapped.

Just then the both of them looked up to see a girl approaching them, with a bounce in her step. The girl's long black hair swayed as she walked, showing off her pink highlights. Her eccentric hairdo made her instantly recognizable, even at a distance. Her hair was fashioned into two cone shaped horns, sticking out of her head. If that wasn't weird enough, she also had multiple lip piercings, a black and purple wrist-sleeve, and torn, mismatching thigh highs. The girl looked like a tryhard delinquent. Despite that, however, there was scarcely a more innocent and kind-hearted girl in the entire school. Ibuki Mioda was part of Mahiru's circle of friends, along with Hiyoko and Mikan.

 _"Let's bowl, let's bowl, let's rock 'n' roll!"_ the girl yelled out with glee, raising her fist in the air. As always, Ibuki had a way of dissolving the tension. _"Yooo, Natsumi! I didn't know you were coming,"_ she said tilting her head.

 _"Is there a problem with that?"_ Natsumi responded. Ibuki just grinned and walked up to her. She grabbed onto Natsumi's arm and then brought it to her mouth, giving it a light chomp with her teeth. It made Natsumi jolt in surprise.

 _"W-what the hell?!"_ she exclaimed as Ibuki nommed her forearm. She attempted to shake the girl off of her.

 _"Since you've hung out with us four times now, that makes you officially part of the gang. Till death do us part,"_ Ibuki explained, placing her hands on her own hips proudly.

 _"You didn't have to bite me, though,"_ Natsumi growled angrily, as she rubbed her forearm.

 _"Sorry. That's something she does to all of us from time to time,"_ said a familiar voice from behind Natsumi. The blonde girl turned to see the short haired redhead standing there, in a dark jacket, plaid skirt, and red scarf, not too dissimilar from Natsumi's attire.

Natsumi breathed a sigh of relief, now that Mahiru was there with them. She was the only level headed "normal" one in the group and she was the one Natsumi was the most comfortable around.

 _"It's about time you showed up, freckles."_ Natsumi sneered. _"You made me wait here with these wackos."_

 _"Sorry about that. I had a few errands I had to take care of. How have you been, Natsumi?"_ She asked politely.

 _"Uh, I'm fine. Why?"_ Natsumi responded awkwardly, unsure of why Mahiru was asking her this. Just then, Ibuki came up from behind and placed her hands on Natsumi's shoulders.

 _"You know! Your trip! What happened? Ibuki must know!"_ she asked, with wide eyes and frightening passion. Natsumi was perturbed by this and her cheeks grew red.

 _"Uh, nothing much. I just hung out with Hajime. That's it,"_ she said in a defensive tone.

 _"Oh really? Nothing? So you guys were all alone together and you just stared at a wall?"_ Hiyoko asked, sly smirk. Natsumi glared at her angrily.

 _"I didn't mean literally "nothing," genius. We… uh…. We did make out.."_

 _"Steamy!"_ Ibuki cried out loudly. _"Was it a french kiss?! Did he lasciviously entwine your tongue with his?! Did he?!"_ the girl inquired.

 _"Wha…. I… he… uh..."_ Natsumi stammered as her face grew more and more red.

 _"We'll take your stunned silence as a yes. Man, you are quite the floozy aren't you, Batsumi?"_

"No!" Natsumi yelled _"This isn't any of your business anyway, so just drop it!"_

 _"Ibuki is sorry. It's just… you two make such a cute couple"_ the black haired girl gushed as she clutched her chest. Mahiru smiled awkwardly and cleared her throat.

 _"Ahem. Anyway, isn't he going to be returning to Hope's Peak soon?"_

 _"Yeah. He just has a few weeks left,"_ Natsumi responded, as that thought sent a warm, hopeful feeling through her body.

 _"Cool. Maybe we should throw him a welcome party. I'm sure Peko and Fuyuhiko would help."_

 _"I'm sure Natsumi's gonna have her own special welcoming party for him,"_ Hiyoko smirked.

 _"Uh, hey guys. Not to interrupt, but wheres Mikan and Aiko?"_ Ibuki interjected.

 _"Mikan said that she was busy today. I forgot to tell you guys bout that, but I don't know about Aiko."_ Mahiru said, turning to Natsumi. _"She's still coming right?"_

 _"She texted me this morning. I don't know what's taking her,"_ Natsumi grumbled as she pulled out her phone to text Aiko. The minutes slowly slipped by and there was no response.

 _"It's no big deal. It's still early. We can wait it out,"_ Mahiru urged the others, kindly. Hiyoko crossed her arms and huffed in annoyance.

 _"Ugh. Some people have no manners,"_ she sulked.

The girls sat on the bench and fountain edge, as they waited for their companion. They chatted off and on with each other and checked their phones, every few minutes. The calming sound of the water did little to ease the growing tension. Fifteen minutes, thirty minutes, and then an hour passed by. The sun was starting to go down and darkness was spreading over the school.

 _"My ass is getting sore here! This is a bunch of shit!"_ Hiyoko whined as she stood up from the concrete fountain she was lounging on. Ibuki, who sat beside her looked up at her with a grin.

 _"You could even call it_ ** _Ass_ **_-inine,"_ the girl said, finger banging in Hiyoko's direction.

 _"Can it, Ibuki!"_ Hiyoko snapped. _"Natsumi! You better tell that runt to get butt over here, or i'm gonna use her as a bowling ball."_

Natsumi looked down at her phone worriedly. Aiko hadn't even read her message. This made no sense. Aiko would never duck out on them like this, and she always read her phone. Something was wrong and Natsumi felt unease welling in her stomach.

Mahiru could read the worry on her face. _"I'm sure she's alright. Something must have come up. Maybe she lost her phone or something. Maybe she is already waiting for us at the bowling alley."_

"If that's the case, I think i'm gonna have to break something." Hiyoko grumbled.

Mahiru placed her hand on Natsumi's shoulder, breaking her out of her trance. _"We might as well head over there. She's knows the place. If she can, i'm sure she'll meet us there."_

 _"Right…"_ Natsumi mumbled. She looked up at the sky as the full moon was rising over the school.

 _(What is this feeling?)_ She thought to herself.

The first thing Aiko felt was the cold, concrete floor pressed against her cheek. The second was a dull pain in her back and left arm, from the position she had been sleeping in. Her small body was curled up on the hard floor. Her head was dizzy and she couldn't make out much of the room around her.

 _"W-where am I? What is this place?"_ she squeaked, pitifully. She reached up to her neck and realized that there was something fastened around it. It was a metallic collar, with rectangular attachments to it, similar to a shock collar for dogs. She tugged at it and tried to pry it off, but to no avail. The collar had some sort of chain attached to it as well.

 _"W-what is this?! What's going on?!"_ She exclaimed in terror, tears welling up in her eyes.

 _"Aiko? Is that you?"_ a deep voice beckoned. It came from across the room. It was a voice she recognized. It was her classmate Tomohiko Goryoku. When squinting, she could vaguely make out his large figure, standing in the shadows. Across from her.

 _"Tomohiko! What's happening? Where are we? What are these collars?"_ she asked him in quick succession.

 _"I do not know, Aiko. I just woke up myself. It would appear that someone has kidnapped us. For what, I don't know."_

 _"Tomo-san… I'm scared. What's going to happen to us?"_ Aiko said in a wavering voice. She tried to calm her breathing but she was beginning to hyperventilate.

 _"Just stay calm. Everything will be ok, Aiko. I'm sure people are already looking for us."_

Just as he finished saying that, there was an electronic bell noise, that sounded just like the sound of the school bell. Both of them froze in place and didn't say a word. There was a sudden flash of light as a flat screen TV turned on. It was mounted on the wall and filled the room with dim light.. At first it was static, but soon it came in clear. They never expected to see what came next.

On the screen there was a robotic, stuffed bear an executive chair, with his feet resting on his desk. He looked like some kind of demented plush toy. He wore a white jacket, black pants, and a red headband. His pudgy body was covered in a mishmash of Yakuza styled tattoos. He had white, linen wraps around his waist, emulating a more old fashioned style. He held a bottle of Sake in one hand and poured a drink, before tossing it behind him, instead chugging straight from the bottle.

 _"Good evening, kids all over the world. Today, we are having a special public service announcement from everyone's favorite bear…. No, not the one with the shovel or the one with the picnic baskets. It's yours truly, Monokuma, leader of the new gang on the block, the Zetsubou clan!"_ The bear spoke with enthusiasm and eccentricity.

 _"What… the… fuck?!"_ Tomohiko whispered, with his mouth agape. Even his usual reserved persona was knocked off balance by this goofy introduction. Aiko just stood there silently.

 _"Like any other bear, I like to keep a close eye on current events. And I've noticed something lately. Everyone wants to be "edgy" these days. I'll tell ya what. Some of you guys are edgier than a german cutlery set. But you're still missing something. You poor kids these days don't have any direction in life. No community. No future. No hope. But that's ok. All that crap is overrated anyway. Fear not, kids. Papa Monokuma is here to give you a helping hand."_

 _"What is he going on about? Is this some kind of joke?"_ Tomohiko asked in confusion.

 _"All of you are constantly filled with false hope. You're told to stay in school, follow the rules, keep your head down. Pay your taxes. And what do you get out of it? You spend the rest of your life paying for a bunch of old farts in a nursing home somewhere and you barely make ends meet, yourself. That's not the way it's supposed to be. That's just too much for anyone to "bear." Do you wanna know what I think? I'm gonna let you in on a little secret, just between the two of us... hope is just a really shiny cage. If you want true freedom, then embrace despair. Hold nothing back. Cut down anyone who gets in your way. That's the Yakuza way."_

The TV was being broadcasted in 7 separate rooms with the student council members. All of them were locked to the screen. The feed was also being broadcast on several livestreams online and the hits were spiking already. Police were frantic, news stations were in chaos, and Hope's Peak faculty were scrambling. Meanwhile, the student council could only watch the screens in confusion and fear.

 _"You all know what i'm saying is true. Just look at the Yakuza. You see these guys and you say to yourself...Hey, self. I wanna be like those guys. I wanna make my own , what's stopping you, huh? Its like my old grandpa used to say. He told me "Don't just stand there, Kill something." Then he got pushed into a wood chipper. But I took those words to heart. Lemma show ya."_ The bear said as the diorama background changed to a city street. He was approached by another bear who looked similar to Monokuma. The new stuffed bear was all black, with a gold chain around his neck, gold teeth, an eyepatch, a white tie, and a black fedora.

 _"Whatcha doin here, punk?"_ Monokuma asked the bear threateningly, baring his claws with rage. The other bear just looked at him confused.

 _"I'm just here so I wont get fined,"_ Kurokuma responded

 _"No, no, no. Your tone… it's all wrong. Talk to me that way again... and I'll stab you in the face with a sautering iron."_ Monokuma threatened casually..

 _"...W-what? Bruh, I ain't done shit to you,"_ the other bear spoke in an urban hip hop accent.

Monokuma then turned to the camera. _"Ok kiddos. Here's lesson number one. Say you're walking along one day and some gangsta is dissin your "flygirl." Just give em one of these,"_ he said as he pulled out a tommy gun and proceeded mow down the other stuffed bear, who burst into a pile of gnarled metal and stuffing. Monokuma smirked and proceeded to toss the gun away, off screen.

 _"You know kids. People always say that violence solves nothing, but thats just because they don't want you to shoot them. Violence solves quite a bit actually. Every country in the world today, only exists because of violence. Violence is the universal language of mankind and it's the only way to liberate yourself from this boring society."_

 _"T-tomohiko. W-what is he talking about?"_ Aiko asked in a frightened whisper, as fear gripped her. Tomohiko clenched his fist.

 _"Quiet, Aiko!"_ he snapped harshly, intently listening to the TV. He didn't like where this was going. He was starting to put the pieces together.

Monokuma continued. _"I'm sure this alot to take in... Heh heh, that's what she said. Anyway, allow me to give you all a demonstration. Tonight we have some very special guests. The best of brightest. The beacons of hope. The Hope's Peak Student Council!_ " he exclaimed as the TV split into a bunch of smaller screens. Aiko's eyes went wide. She saw her classmates in rooms similar to theirs. They were in various different contraptions and restraints. Some of them were in rooms with weapons. Aiko's jaw was agape in horror. She couldn't even summon any words.

 _"These are the ones that society has hand picked to decide your future. Your future bosses, CEOs, celebrities. Every day they lick the boots of power and not in a kinky way. They are the ass kissers. The tattle tales. The ultimate goody goodies, if ya ask me. So spotless, squeaky clean and full of hope... It's just gross! But… that's ok. Because we are gonna help them. We are gonna "liberate" them. Give em a little taste of despair"_

As he said that, a light above them flicked on, suddenly illuminating the room around them. They now came to a gut wrenching realization. The chain that spanned across the room and connected both of their collars was made of razor wire. Both Aiko and Tomohiko stood in terror induced silence.

 _"All of these bright young students will now compete in Danganronpa! It's "kill or be killed." All of them have been randomly chosen and placed in special rooms. By the time we are finished, only half of them will survive. As some would say, "in perfect balance." I've always been a balanced individual. Just ask my ex wife. Anyway, first we have Aiko Umesawa and Tomohiko Goroyoku."_

Tears were streaming down Aiko's cheeks and Tomohiko had a mortified expression as he looked down at the chain of razor blades.

 _"I don't wanna do this, Tomohiko! I wanna go home!"_ the girl cried.

 _"Now, you may notice the collars around their necks. Believe it or not, they are actually magical... Because they will make your head disappear. AHAHAHAHA"_ The bear laughed maniacally. Tomohiko clutched his collar and tried to rip it off.

 _"You bastard! Get this off of me!"_ he yelled. Aiko also yanked on hers. Her mind was racing. This couldn't be happening to her. Who would do something so cruel?

 _"I wouldn't recommend trying to remove the collars. If you trigger them, they might just blow up on you. Once again. Like my ex wife."_ he threatened, causing both Aiko and Tomohiko to let go of their collars, out of fear.

 _"Now, take note of the pin in your collar. Think of that like the pin in a grenade. You pull it out and its "fire in the hole!" If the light on your collar is red, then that means your pin is locked in place. So there's no reason to worry. But if your light is green. Then… there is reason to worry."_

Tomohiko and Aiko both realized at the same time, what this game was about. The sickening, blood stained puzzle pieces had lined up.

 _"These two will be playing a friendly game of tug of war. Except I couldn't find any rope. So I had to use razor wire instead. There's a monokuma lifehack for ya. HAHAHAHAAA!"_

Aiko crouched down and placed her hands on her head. She screamed and cried and Tomohiko clenched his fists. _"You… sick bastard,"_ He seethed.

 _"The game will begin in 30 seconds. You will know when your collars turn green,"_ He explained, enthusiastically. He then leaned forward towards the camera and whispered _"Oh, and just as a side note. If neither of you participate, then both of you will die… Have fun!"_

Monokuma disappeared from the screen and the both of them stood there paralyzed for a moment. A number appeared on the screen. It was a timer that began counting down from 30.

 _"Tomohiko! What are we going to do?! I don't wanna die!"_ Aiko sobbed. Tomohiko stood there, frozen, as the timer slowly counted down. He stared blankly forward. His thoughts flashed back to his family. He had two younger brothers back home. Both of them saw him as their ultimate role model. He was their world. If he died, that world would shatter. This wasn't about him. He was always lukewarm towards life and towards himself, but he always wanted the best for his siblings. He had to continue living, as a symbol. He couldn't allow himself to die here.

He clutched the razor wire, causing blood to trickle from his palm.

 _"I'm sorry, Aiko. I don't expect you to forgive me."_ he said, as the girl looked up at him through tear filled eyes. She had a look of shock and betrayal.

 _"N-no… Y-you can't be serious…"_ she whimpered.

 _"I can't die here, Aiko. I just can't."_ he said as he held the razor wire tightly in his hand. The timer was at 12 seconds.

 _"Tomohiko please! Don't do this! I'm begging you!"_ the girl pleaded as the timer continued to count down. The young man couldn't bare to look at her. He gripped the wire with both hands and didn't respond to her. Aiko hesitantly reached down and clutched the bladed wire and sobbed in pain.

The timer finally hit zero. Both of their collars lit up green.

Aiko screamed as the razorwire slid through her hands, gashing them deeply. Adrenaline took over and she clutched tightly. She grit her teeth and hot tears streamed down her cheeks. Tomohiko's hands were bleeding too, but he kept a cool exterior.

 _"I'm… ergh… sorry Aiko. Truly. I will make amends to your family. I promise,"_ he said as he continued to reel in the chain. Aiko was running out of slack. She tightened her grip to keep from having her pin pulled out. Her eyes were wide, manic and full of pain.

 _"Stop! Aiiiieee! It hurts! Oh god!"_ she shrieked. She began to slide along the floor, as she was pulled towards Tomohiko. She tried to dig her heels into the ground, but it did no good. Blood dripped down onto the floor, making it slick. Tomohiko used both hands reel in the wire, bringing Aiko closer to him.

 _"Dammit, Aiko, just give it up! You're making this more painful for yourself!"_ he snarled, as he winced from the pain. His fingers and hands were being sliced deeper and deeper, but now Aiko was standing just a few feet in front of him. He steeled himself and pulled the wire upward. He was pulling Aiko off of her feet. She was hanging from the chain. It was only through pure adrenaline that she was able to keep her grip, but it was quickly slipping.

"Its over Aiko! Just let go!"

The girl was quickly losing her grip. She screamed _"No!"_ and reached out to try to grab onto his shirt or shoulder. Instead she accidentally grabbed the razor wire, mere inches from his pin. There was sharp clicking noise as the pin was pulled from Tomohiko's collar. His eyes went wide and he immediately dropped Aiko onto the floor.

 _"What… what did you just…"_ he stood, silently. Aiko still sniffled and looked up at him with fear and pain.

There was a loud repetitive beeping noise that began to emit from his collar. The tempo slowly increased and built to a frantic pace.

 _"You… you bitch! What the fuck did you do?!"_ he bellowed in rage. He reached up to the collar.

 _"Get this off me! Get it off! You maniac! You fucker! I'll kill you!"_ he screamed at the TV as tears welled up in his eyes. Aiko stared up at him wide eyed, unable to move.

 _"This can't be happening! I can't die here! I-"_ ***Boom***

There was a sudden, deafening explosion that made Aiko's ears ring. Tomohiko's head disintegrated into cascade of stringy blood, gray matter and skull fragments. Streaks of crimson splattered across aiko's face.

Her legs were splayed and she stared up in a literal state of shock. She couldn't process what happened. The TV came on and she looked up at it blankly. The screen was split into the various camera feeds and she witnessed the end of the other games. Endless horrors flashed before her eyes. She saw classmates hanging from the ceiling. One of them had a rumbling chainsaw sticking out of their chest. One of them, was strapped what looked like a metal crucifix with numerous spears impaled through their body.

One that particularly caught Aiko's eye was Karen. She was lying on the floor, her dead vacant eyes staring off into the oblivion. Meanwhile, Suzuko Kashiki, a girl with short brown hair, continuously stabbed into her guts, rustling through her innards, as if she was searching for something. Tears rolled down her face as she muttered. _"I'm sorry… I'm sorry…. I'm sorry…"_

Aiko sat there, with her hands in her lap. Her eyes glazed as despair washed over her whole being. She watched the unmitigated horror play out in front of her.

The TV turned to flickering static, before shifting back to the mechanical bear. Monokuma held a cigar to his lips and blew smoke into the air.

 _"Man, you guys actually did. You killed each other faster than I expected. Most of you didn't even hesitate. I guess I should let you guys in on a little secret. I'll be honest… I was liiiiittle bit dishonest with you. I said that if you didn't kill each other, you would both die. I didn't lie about that, but I didn't really specify_ ** _when_ **_you would die. I mean, when you think about it, everyone dies eventually. Except for me, of course. Bears live forever, you know. So, bottom line, you guys didn't actually have to kill each other after all. You could have just refused to play, but instead you butchered each other like savages! AHAHAHAAA!"_

All of the surviving students stared at the screen with wide eyes and mouths agape. Some of them could be seen tearing at their hair and screaming, but the audio on their feeds was muted.

 _"Isn't that something?! Its like despair within despair! I call it, despair-ception! Anyway, what did we learn today kids? Well, Kiriko learned not to run with scissors. Tsubasa learned that acupuncture is not, in fact, good for your health. Aiko learned that it's really easy to cheat in tug of war. And that's just the beginning! Above all else, we learned that everyone can be murderer. Despair conquers all, even the so-called beacons of hope. That is the ultimate lesson of Danganronpa. And you… yes, you, can help me spread this despair to the world. Join the Zetsubou clan and we can bring this shitty world to its knees. This is not the last you will hear from Monokuma. Stay tuned. This is only the beginning. What we have planned next is gonna blow your socks off! Monokuma out!"_

With those closing remarks, the feed turned to an image of a black and white, Monokuma-faced emblem and then finally cut to black.


	15. Chapter 15

Chiaki let out a soft sigh as she tapped away on her GPX D3. It was a Chinese imported device that specialized in emulation and homebrew. It allowed her to play all her retro games on the go and she enjoyed messing around with the custom firmware options. She plowed through game after game in her backlog, determined to beat them all, even the bad ones. Unfortunately, her initial excitement had given way to a sullen malaise. Gaming just wasn't the same lately. There was too much grim negativity in the air. The atmosphere of the school had changed. Every day was like a funeral. The once proud and refined school, was descending into bedlam. Echoes of yells and protests could be heard, emanating from the gates of the campus, as crowds of angry citizens railed against the academy.

Schools around the nation were unraveling and Hope's Peak was identified as ground zero for this "contagion." The most recent murders sparked a media frenzy. Parents of the slain students were among the protesters, shouting through megaphones and weeping at the loss of their children. Hope's Peak was called upon to end its relationship with the Kuzuryu-Gumi, expel all Yakuza affiliated students, and tighten its disciplinary enforcement. Things were grim for the school. It was being destroyed from without and within. So, it was no wonder that Chiaki had a difficult time escaping into the world of video games.

She squinted and tried to block out the background noise. Inwardly, she regretted not bringing headphones today. Perhaps it would be best to just head home. It was a dismal day anyway, with gray clouds forming overhead. Just as she was thinking this, a group of three male students approached her.

Their uniforms were unruly and out of dress code, and they carried their book bags over their shoulders in a cavalier fashion. They saw the quiet girl sitting on the fountain and smirked at one another. One of them quickly snatched up the game system out of her hands and examined it.

 _"Interesting toy you have there. You know, it's dangerous to be carrying expensive electronics around these days. You should be more careful"_ one of them said with a sneer.

Chiaki looked up at them in shock and surprise, as her game system was taken from her. _"Um excuse me, but that doesn't belong to you. I would appreciate it if you would give it back,"_ she requested politely, reaching up for it. The other student just raised it out of her reach, and the others chuckled at her expense.

 _"You know, you really should invest in a little property insurance. We can help you with that. You pay us every month and we make sure that no one jacks your stuff. If they do, we get it back, or we get you the money. A pretty good deal, right?"_

Chiaki furrowed her brow in suspicion and her cheeks puffed. _"I'm not interested. Now please just give me back my game."_ The students looked at her with dull, annoyed expressions. Then the leader smiled at her, wryly.

 _"Maybe you would be interested in our protection services. We'll look after this for you,"_ the student said as he slipped the game into his coat pocket, _"we'll keep this puppy nice and safe and only charge you a small fee,"_ he said with a cocky grin.

 _"W-what? N-no! That's ridiculous! You can't do this!"_ she pleaded, angrily. Tears began to form in her eyes. The other students just grinned at her. One of them put his hand on her head, patting it mockingly.

 _"We can't, huh? Well, thanks for the advice, sweet cheeks. We'll mull that over,"_ he laughed as all three of them turned and walked away.

Chiaki reached for them in protest and stammered out a few more meek protests, but the boys walked off with her handheld, as tears began to roll down her cheeks She felt so angry and helpless. She wanted to chase after them, but these could be dangerous delinquents. She brought her sleeve up to cover her face.

 _"Chiaki?"_

She heard a voice from behind her. It was a familiar voice. Her eyes went wide and she looked over to see Hajime, approaching her. He had broader shoulders than she remembered and he looked older, for some reason. He had a few light scars on his face and he gave off a slightly more rugged aura, than before. He had changed a lot over the past few months.

 _"H-Hajime? What are you doing here?"_ she asked in shock.

 _"I had to cut my internship short, but anyway, are you ok? What's wrong?"_ he asked, taking note of the fact that she was crying. Chiaki looked away in shame,

 _"These guys… they stole my GPX D3. I don't know why…"_

Hajime's eyes lit up. _"Wait, what? They did what? Who was it?... Was it them?"_ he asked, gesturing with his finger. He could still see the group of the guys a short distance away.

 _"Well… yes, but don't confront them Hajime. They're dangerous and it's not worth you getting-...Hajime! No!"_ she called after him as he already darted off after them.

Hajime caught up with the young thugs and grabbed the shoulder of the leader. _"Hey! We need to have a talk,"_ he said.

The young student jerked Hajime's hand away from his shoulder and spun around angrily. The others did as well, looking at Hajime with a contemptuous gaze.

 _"Get your fucking hands off me! You better get on your knees and-..."_ the student went silent and his eyes went wide. The other two looked at their leader and then at Hajime and the realization hit them both at the same time. One of them raised his finger and pointed at Hajime.

 _"Wait a minute… You're Hinata! You're the real deal!"_ One of them said.

 _"Uh... what?"_ Hajime responded in perplexion.

 _"I'm terribly sorry about snapping at you just now! I didn't know it was you! I just got surprised, That's all! Please forgive my rude behavior, big brother!"_

 _"Big brother? What are you talking about?"_ Hajime asked as the other boys bowed to him rigidly.

 _"Please! Would you tell us how we can join the Kuzuryu-gumi?!_

 _"We will do anything!"_

 _"We already have our own small time racket goin'! We could be real assets to the Kuzuryu!"_

Hajime just sighed and put his hand to his face. _"Look, I just want to get Chiaki's handheld back. Now hand it over."_

The leader looked up and his face grew pale.

 _"Oh! Shit! I didn't know she was with you, sir! I-I-I uh… I apologize for the misunderstanding. It won't happen again! I swear!"_ he stammered and quickly grabbed the device from his pocket. He fumbled it a little and presented it to Hajime with both hands.

Hajime took it from his hand, suspiciously. _"Yeah, whatever. Just get out of here and don't bother Chiaki again."_

 _"Sure thing, boss! In fact, we'll make sure no one else fucks with her! We swear!"_ the delinquents said with goofy grins, giving a thumbs up. Hajime just looked at them with indifference and minor irritation, before walking back to Chiaki.

The girl was standing there, fidgeting nervously, as she saw Hajime returning. She breathed a sigh of relief that he was alright. _"Hajime!"_ she called out to him.

 _"It's fine, Chiaki. I got your handheld back. Those guys won't be bothering you anymore."_

 _"You didn't have to do that, Hajime! You could have gotten hurt!"_ she scolded, concerningly.

 _"By those guys?... I doubt it."_

 _"Hajime…"_ she looked down as Hajime presented the device to her. She looked at him shyly and took it from him. _"T-thank you Hajime,"_ she said, still sniffling a little.

 _"Don't mention it. Its fine. But why were those guys harassing you anyway?"_

 _"The school... isn't the same anymore. It's changed alot since you've been gone."_

Hajime could tell that already, just from the atmosphere of the school when he arrived. There were less students out and about, than usual. Everyone seemed downtrodden and Hajime received many suspicious and looks from teachers and students alike.

 _"I know, but I didn't think it was gonna be_ ** _this_ **_bad. You should probably go to your dorm for now. It's not safe for you here."_

 _"What about you, Hajime?"_ Chiaki asked him, tilting her head. She had a look of worry on her face.

 _"I'm going to get to the bottom of this. Not just this crime wave, but also…"_

 _"What happened to the student council…"_ Chiaki said, with a tone of sadness and mourning.

 _"Yeah. I get the feeling that the two are connected. It's just a hunch, but I promise you I will put a stop to this. I swear it."_

Chiaki gave a warm, reassuring smile but then tilted her head to look behind Hajime as she saw someone approaching them. Hajime turned to see a tall, wide statured man with a scowl on his face. For a moment he thought it was Takuo, but upon closer inspection, the man had longer hair and a darker complexion. The man certainly matched Takuo's musculature and sour disposition. He cast a menacing gaze in Hajime's direction and crossed his arms.

Juzo Sakakura, was his name. He was head of security at Hope's Peak and was even more disgruntled than usual. _"Hajime Hinata?"_ he grunted, in an annoyed tone.

 _"Uh… yeah."_ Hajime responded, wondering what this man wanted from him. He could tell that the man was looking him up and down with suspicion.

 _"The principal wishes to speak with you in his office. I've been sent to escort you there."_

 _"What? The principal? What does he want from me?"_ Hajime asked in surprise.

 _"That's confidential. You'll find out when you get there."_

 _"This is a little short notice. I literally just got here."_

 _"This isn't a request, Hinata. I've been given authorization to use force if necessary,"_ the man said, popping his knuckles. Hajime hardened his resolve and looked up at the man.

 _"Your PR is pretty bad right now. Do you really think it's a good idea to start roughing up students?"_ Hajime asked, sarcastically.

Juzo grabbed him by the shirt and looked into his eyes. _"Maybe we should have started sooner. Then we might have weeded out scum like you,"_ he growled. Hajime didn't show any fear. Chiaki on the other hand looked at the both of them, wide eyed.

 _"P-please, don't fight! Hajime, you should probably do as he says,"_ she advised him, anxiously.

 _"Smart girl. At least one of you has some manners,"_ he grumbled as he let go of Hajime. Hajime straightened out his cloths and let out a "tch" noise. He turned to Chiaki.

 _"I guess I'll go see what he wants. I'll talk to you later, Chiaki."_

 _"O-ok…"_ Chiaki trailed off as she watched the two of them walk away. She had an aching, twisting unease in her stomach that something bad was going to happen, and soon.

Hajime tugged at his collar, nervously as he made his way to the Principal's office. He looked over his shoulder every now and then. The more time he spent in this school, the more he began to feel like an outsider. He was now something fundamentally different from the students around him. Perhaps that was what the principal wished to discuss with him. Whatever it was it couldn't be good. Hajime felt a subtle cramping in his stomach, as he braced for even more bad news.

Hajime stepped through the double doors and got his first glimpse of the principal's office. It wasn't as extravagant as he was expecting. At the end of the long room was a simple executive desk, with a man sitting behind it. He was in his 40s and he had short black hair. His unassuming appearance surprised Hajime. His photos attempted to make him look more regal and refined, but he had a surprisingly humble presence in real life. There were numerous other adults in the room as well, some of which shocked Hajime.

There were numerous chairs, surrounding the desk, as well as a couch. Hajime's eyes darted around the room as he registered who was in attendance. He saw Kazuo Tengan, who smiled cheerily and waved to him. Across from him was none other than the Oyabun himself, along with his bodyguard, Yudai Sagara. Hajime also recognized another face that he hadn't seen in ages. Maaya Umebayashi, along her bodyguard Ichiro Okimoto, sat on the nearby couch. She exuded her usual aura of elegance and shrewd intuition.

There were a few in attendance who weren't sitting down. Takuo leaned against a bookshelf, with crossed arms and a grim expression. Tatsuji Hatoyama, the second in command of the Minamoto clan, paced back and forth. Hajime hadn't seen him since the summit, earlier that year. Finally, there was a man who Hajime did not recognize. He had blonde hair and sparse facial hair. His head was covered by a white fedora-like hat. He looked somewhat unkempt, but he had a calm demeanor. His name was Koichi Kizakura.

 _"Well, I'm glad that you're so confident, but I will remind you that the Minamoto clan have very little stake in this turn of event-..."_ Maaya spoke to the Oyabun in a cool but scathing tone, until she noticed Hajime. Ichiro casually sipped his tea as Maaya's gazed narrowed in Hajime's direction.

All eyes in the room were on Hajime as he stood in the doorway. He gulped and stepped forward, closing the door behind him. An air of awkwardness hung over the room.

 _"Ah, Hajime. Who would have thought we would be seeing each other again so soon. Please join us,"_ the Oyabun beckoned welcomingly. This relieved much of Hajime's anxiety and he approached the adults. Tatsuji Hatoyama cast a scornful gaze in Hajime's direction. He still remembered his antics from the summit, so long ago.

 _"Principal Kirigiri, is it really appropriate to have a student present during these discussions?"_ he asked, sneeringly. Jin Kirigiri rested his elbows and his desk and interlaced his fingers.

 _"Mr. Hinata may be a student, but beyond that he is also a respected employee of the Kuzuryu-gumi. Isn't that correct, Hajime?"_

Hajime was speechless for a moment. He opened his mouth and it hung agape, but no words came out. He looked to the Oyabun, who smiled.

 _"Its alright, Hajime. They already know. You can tell them the truth,"_ he said, reassuringly. Hajime relaxed a bit and looked at Jin with seriousness and professionalism.

 _"That is correct, sir. I am Natsumi Kuzuryu's confidant"_

 _"That's quite an interesting career path, Mr. Hinata,"_ Tengan piped in. _"I can't say I was expecting you to go that direction, but it seems to be working out for you,"_ he said with a chuckle.

Jin Kirigiri looked at Hajime with curiosity, but not condemnation. _"As Miss Kuzuryu's confidant, you have a vested interest in her protection. So, it is my assumption you will help us bring resolution to the chaos plaguing our school. Correct?"_

 _"Of course, sir,"_ Hajime said with an affirmative nod.

Koichi Kizakura surreptitiously took a swig from his flask before concealing it in his coat. _"Good. So I guess I'll have to be the one to ask the obvious… Did you or your friends kill the student council?""_

 _"What?"_ Hajime asked in total shock.

 _"Well, this murder had a weird Yakuza theme and there are only four students in this school with known Yakuza connections. So we just need to put that out there. No offense."_

The Oyabun shook his head and spoke up. _"As I have already stated, there is absolutely no chance that either of my children, Peko or Hajime could have anything to do with this gruesome, reprehensible attack."_

Takuo also spoke up in response to Kizakura. _"Also, you left something out. There was another student who attended this school, who fits your description. Hideki Minamoto,"_ he said, casting a glance over at Maaya and the other Minamoto members.

 _"We have already told you that Hideki was in Osaka during the attack. He has a rock solid alibi with dozens of witnesses and security footage,"_ Maaya explained.

Hatoyama also took a defensive posture. _"Yes. If you are simply going to continue to levy baseless accusations at us, we are clearly wasting our time here. We agreed to assist in your investigation to the best of our abilities, only to ensure that our reputation is not dragged down alongside yours."_

 _"And we are grateful for your assistance. I think I speak for everyone in this room when I say that we all want to catch those responsible for this heinous and cowardly act. We aren't here to point fingers at one another."_ Jin said, calmly, attempting to diffuse the growing animosities in the room.

The Oyabun nodded respectfully. _"Thank you Jin. I wholeheartedly agree. Personally, I don't think that anyone associated with the Yakuza had anything to do with this crime."_

 _"How did you arrive at this conclusion?"_ Tengan asked curiously.

 _"The killer spoke of the Yakuza in oblique and nonsensical terms. Nothing about their philosophy aligns with what we stand for."_ the Oyabun explained. _"Whoever committed this act, did so in order to push their own anarchist, nihilist ideology to the young masses."_

Yudai Sagara spoke up too. _"They hijacked our aesthetics, just because that's what's popular with the kids right now. They are obviously just tapping into current trends."_

 _"I agree,"_ Hajime nodded. _"I'm sure all of you know what's been going on lately. A lot of students my age have really gotten into Yakuza culture. Or, I guess, what they think is Yakuza culture. Their own version of it, anyway."_

 _"Its disgraceful and it should have been addressed much sooner."_ Hatoyama spoke up, bitterly. _"They have bastardized our heritage with their own nonsensical imitation. This most recent event was only the culmination of this."_

Kizakura rubbed the back of his head and sighed. _"How did this even happen in the first place? What the hell is wrong with these kids?"_

Jin closed his eyes for a few moments, before standing up and looking out the window.

 _"This didn't come out of nowhere. The was some truth intermixed with what the killer was saying. There is an underlying feeling of despair among the youth. It's been growing for decades now. Sometimes, glimmers of truth can arise even from the mouths of demons."_

The Oyabun listened ponderously. _"Would you care to elaborate for us, Mr. Kirigiri?"_

 _"This is just my own analysis. So, I hope you will humor me. There is something I have spent many hours pondering… In any society, there is a carrot that is dangled in front of the younger generation, to urge them forward. But what If you take that carrot away, or what if they realize that the carrot is fake? What happens?"_ Jin asked, as he stood behind his desk.

 _"As you all know, we have an aging population with more debts than can possibly be paid. It's not something we like to talk about. Most kids don't understand the complex economics and history behind that, but they instinctively know that their opportunities and futures are shrinking by the day. They have been filled with hope that is not just false, but... insulting."_

Hajime couldn't take his eyes off him, as his words deeply resonated within him. This man was verbalizing the deep seeded anxieties that had plagued him his whole life. _"If you feel that society has no loyalty to you, then you won't have any loyalty to society. And then all it takes is a little push and an entire generation could go off the rails."_

Jin nodded. _"Precisely, Hajime. And I think that is what this killer's true objective is."_

 _"But to what end?"_ Maaya interjected, _"and more importantly, how? How do they have the resources to accomplish this? I saw the video, they were using high tech equipment. They have possession of large, isolated facility, which has still not been located."_

Yudai Sagara pondered this, rubbing his chin. _"Clearly we aren't dealing with an isolated individual. This seems like the work of an organization with funding and with intelligent, skilled people working for it."_

Tengan sighed and rested his hands on his cane. _"They somehow managed to lure the student council members to a secret meeting and kidnap them all. When the survivors were discovered, they were unconscious in a field, over 200 miles away from Hope's Peak. This was well planned and they left no trail."_

 _"How did they manage to not get caught on security cameras?"_ Hajime asked in confusion. Surely they would have gotten some clues from that.

Jin had a troubled, frustrated look on his face. _"Much to our shock and embarrassment, the killer managed to wipe all of our security footage, not just from the past few days, but for the past 6 months. Which is as far back as our archive goes."_

 _"What kind of people are we dealing with, here?"_ Hatoyama asked in astonishment. He doubted that even his clan could manage such a sophisticated operation, with zero evidence left behind.

 _"Aaaand here is where things get awkward…"_ Kizakura signed nonchalantly as he took a few swigs from his flask.

Jin looked away, hesitantly. Tengan looked around the room at the rest of those in attendance.

 _"What my associate is implying is pretty obvious. This school is home to some of the most talented and intelligent young minds in the entire world, many with IQs in the 150 range. Such, an incredible feat, as cruel and vile as it may be, could only have been accomplished by them."_

Jin grit his teeth angrily and took a deep breath. _"As much as it pains me to admit it, it is an extremely likely possibility, that the mastermind behind this attack is a student at this school."_

 _"Or more than one"_ Takuo injected.

 _"Yes… Unfortunately that seems to be a real possibility. And whoever it is, they are going to kill again."_ Jin said, in a grave tone.

 _"Of course, we want to do anything we can to prevent that from happening. For the sake of your students, of course, but also admittedly for the sake of our own future and that of Hope's Peak,"_ the Oyabun spoke solemnly.

Tengan looked over to Hajime and smiled. _"As much resources as we have at our disposal, we need eyes and ears among the student populace in order to solve this mystery. I trust that we can count on you, Hajime, to look into this for us."_

 _"Of course!"_ Hajime exclaimed. _"I swear, I will do everything I can to find who is responsible for this. I promise you all."_ he said, placing his hand on his chest.

Hajime left the meeting with a sigh of relief. It could have gone much worse, all things considered. He scratched the back of his head as he pondered the unfolding events. As he exited the office, he nearly ran straight into a girl who was loitering outside the door, obviously having eavesdropped on the meeting. She had amethyst colored hair, a jacket, skirt, and gloves. Her skin was soft and pale and she had an emotionless expression in her eyes. She had her arms crossed and she leaned against the wall.

 _"Hajime Hinata. I would like to have a word with you,"_ the girl said in a cold, straightforward tone. She stood there with crossed arms, sizing him up. Hajime vaguely recognized this girl as one of the first year main course students, but he had little interest. At this point, he was sick of being approached and pestered by students regarding his Yakuza affiliations.

 _"Not interested,"_ he grumbled dismissively as he tried to slip past her. The girl quickly outstretched her arm out to block his path. She looked at him with a stern expression.

 _"You may have the rest of them fooled, but not me. You are hiding something."_

Hajime rolled his eyes. _"Is that so? What are you, the Ultimate Mind Reader?_ " he asked sarcastically.

 _"My name is Kyoko Kirigiri. I'm the-"_

 _"Ultimate SHSL Detective, right? I thought I recognized you. Look, I don't have information for you. I had nothing to do with the murders and neither did anyone else in the Kuzuryu-gumi. I can promise you that."_

 _"And what about Hideki Minamoto? Can you say the same about him and his associates?"_ she asked calmly. She was able to read the surprise on Hajime's face when she mentioned that.

 _"What about him? He hasn't gone to this school in months,"_ he noted, attempting to shrug off the question.

 _"True, but he did leave an impact, during his short time."_

 _"Uh… how so?"_ Hajime asked, wondering how much Kyoko actually knew.

 _"It doesn't seem like a coincidence to me that mere weeks after he arrived, there was a murder attempt at the Akutagawa mall. Then, just a few weeks later, you and him both checked into the Hope's Peak hospital with severe wounds. According to you, that was just from a mugging. The hospital staff might have readily accepted that story, but I do not. It is especially suspect considering the fact that he transfered schools just a few days later. So, to recap, Hideki Minamoto shows up at this school, has two violent incidents in just over a month, and then transfers away. It seems rather peculiar, doesn't it?"_

Hajime was beginning to feel a little uneasy where this conversation was heading. He loosened the collar of his shirt awkwardly as he spoke. _"Well, yeah. He's a Yakuza. Shady stuff happens around guys like him. I don't see how that's relevant to this case."_

Kyoko looked somewhat disappointed and annoyed with him. _"I have done some research into the history of the Minamoto and Kuzuryu clans. What I found was troubling and I have many theories about what might have transpired, but I have no proof to back them up. At least not yet. However, I will say this, Hinata. If it comes to light that those students were murdered as a result of your petty clan conflicts, I will make sure that both you and your enemies are held responsible for their deaths."_

Hajime could feel the conviction in the young woman's voice and her ruthless sense of justice. He respected her for that, but he was not intimidated. _"I understand your concern. We want to find the culprits just as much as you do… but I'll give you this piece of advice, Kirigiri. If you cross the Kuzuryu-gumi, it won't end well for you,"_ he threatened, even surprising himself in how authoritative it was.

Kyoko's eyebrows slightly furrowed into a glare before she turned her nose to the air and walked off. She left Hajime standing there. He made a light "tch" noise and walked away, with his hands in his pockets.

 _"I'm not playing anymore! You need to get the fuck out of my way, now!"_ Natsumi yelled, with his hands on her hips.

The muscular, long haired student towered over her and looked down at the young blonde with a stern, emotionless expression. He had a pale complexion and dark eyes. His face almost resembled the human personification of a snake. His tight, black suit veiled rippling muscles. If he actually wanted to, he could kill the uppity blonde girl with his bare hands, but he was attempting to be diplomatic.

Hospital staff turned to look down the hall at the scene that she was making, as Isshiki Madarai stood in front of the door, with his arms crossed, refusing her entry. Natsumi was absolutely livid.

 _"I apologize, Miss Kuzuryu, but I cannot allow you entry. I would be derelict in my duties if I did."_

 _"What are you talking about?! I already told you! The receptionist said that Aiko could see visitors! You have no right to stop me!"_

 _"The safety of the Student Council is my responsibility. I cannot allow any action that could bring harm to them."_

 _"Really? Really?! You've done a great job of that, haven't you?!"_ Natsumi sneered. Madarai looked down at Natsumi and did his best to suppress the rage welling up inside him. He maintained a cool veneer.

 _"I have shamefully failed in my duties. I admit that. But from here on, I will keep the survivors safe, especially from the likes of you,"_ he said, in a harsh, condemning tone.

 _"What are you getting at? If you're accusing me of something, spit it out!"_

 _"I think you already know, Miss Kuzuryu. As one of the only Yakuza affiliates at this school, you are a person of interest in this case. And even apart from that, your presence is toxic to Miss Aiko."_

Natsumi's eyes lit up and she grabbed onto Madarai's lapels. Her eyes were filled with rage and her eyes grew watery. She spoke through gritted teeth. " _You son of a bitch! You don't know a damn thing!"_

 _"Ahem"_

Both of them turned to see a young man standing a few feet away. He was instantly recognizable by his brown ahoge.

 _"Is there a problem here?"_ Hajime asked. Natsumi let go of Madarai and wiped at her eyes.

 _"I'm trying to see Aiko, but this gangly-haired bastard won't move out of my way!"_

 _"Hajime Hinata. What a surprise that both of you would show up here. Returning to the scene of the crime, perhaps?"_

 _"It's the opposite. I'm here to investigate the murders and I have full permission from Principal Kirigiri."_

 _"The principal? Surely you must be joking."_

 _"Take it up with him, if you want. But if you get in the way, I don't think he'll be happy."_

Madari scowled at him and Natsumi and stepped reluctantly aside. _"Very well,"_ he muttered with contempt. Natsumi stuck her tongue out at him as she followed Hajime inside.

Aiko was sitting upright in a bed in the corner of the room. The window beside her case pale beams of sunlight into the sterile room. There was a tray by the bed with untouched food. Aiko didn't even look up at them as they entered. She simply stared off into the distance. Her hands and fingers were wrapped in gauze bandages and they rested in her lap.

Natsumi went silent and the blood drained from her face as she saw Aiko in this state.

 _"Aiko?"_ Natsumi said softly. She slowly and cautiously made her way over to her. Aiko didn't respond or acknowledge her in any way. Natsumi stood by Aiko's bedside.

 _"I… uh… I brought you some Wagashi. I know it's your favorite.."_ Natsumi trailed off as Aiko wasnt responding to her, _"I'll just set these down here"_ she said, as she placed the box of mixed confectionary on the tray by the bed.

 _"I… can't imagine how you are feeling right now. But i'm here for you if you need anything,"_

Aiko was silent, once again.

" _God dammit, Aiko! Say something! Anything! Don't shut me out! I want to help you!"_

Aiko's green and blue eyes continued to stare off. But now, tears began to stream from them. Natsumi embraced the petite girl tightly and hugged her close.

 _"I'm sorry Aiko... I'm so sorry... I should have gone looking for you. I should have protected you."_ Natsumi choked as she began to well up and cry as well. Aiko closed her eyes as she was warmly embraced.

Hajime stepped back and sat in a chair on the far side of the room. He didn't want to interfere in their moment and he quickly came to the realization that now was not the time to question Aiko. She was not going to provide any useful information in her state. The other students were also probably still in a state of trauma. It would not be easy to extract clues from them, but he had to do what was necessary. The next attack could happen at any moment. Now he was more determined than ever to prevent it.

 **3 Days Later**

The next three days were filled to the brim with stress and frustration for Hajime. He thoroughly questioned the student council survivors and other students around the school but acquired no seemingly pertinent information. He questioned everyone he came across, but only received contradictory reports and dead ends. The investigation was going nowhere. What was he even doing? He was no detective. Kyoko Kirigiri was certainly making much more progress than him and probably had access to more resources.

He hadn't seen much of Natsumi since he returned from his internship. She spent most of her days with Aiko, who was only just now starting to open up about the incident. Finally, at the end of the third day, he decided to return to his dorms in defeat, once again.

With his hands in his pockets and his head hung low, Hajime made his way back to the male dormitories. Clouds were forming quickly over head, giving the premature illusion of nightfall. The chanting in the distance droned on, casting an eerie, tense atmosphere over the school. The protests were escalating. Thuggish counter protestors began showing up and antagonizing the anti Yakuza protestors. Fights were already breaking out, sending many to the hospital. Any students who were not currently engaging in the conflict were secure in their dorm rooms, occasionally peaking through their blinds, with worrisome eyes. Hajime sighed and rubbed his forehead. He prayed that this fiasco would soon be behind him.

Hajime had a sudden feeling of something rubbing against his chest. It made him jump and made a quick burst of adrenaline shoot through his body. He looked down at his coat pocket, where the sensation was coming from. Relief washed over him as he realized it was his phone vibrating. He figured it was Natsumi, as he pulled it out. To his surprise, the caller ID registered that the caller was Peko.

 _"Hello?"_ Hajime asked as he put it to his ear.

 _"Hajime… Where are you right now?"_ she asked him in a serious tone.

 _"I'm on my way home."_ He responded, as he continued to walk.

 _"Listen closely Hajime. It has been decided that the situation here at school has become too unstable and unsafe. The clan has arranged for Lady Natsumi and Master Fuyuhiko's egress from the campus. However, you and I are not ordered to leave yet."_

Hajime kept the phone pressed to his ear and listened intently as he made his way up the empty staircase. The sound of thunder gently rolled in the distance. _"Is there any particular reason they need us to stay? I'll be honest. My investigation is going nowhere."_

 _"I can't discuss this any further with you until you are in a secure location. Inform me once you are inside your dorm room. Also, you will find a package in front of your door."_

Hajime walked down long, fluorescent lit hallway and sure enough, there was a brown parcel. It was about 1.5 feet long, 6 inches wide, and a foot tall.

 _"Yeah. It's here, alright."_ Hajime said casually, as he picked it up.

 _"Do not open it outside. Take it into your dorm and open it,"_ she ordered, sternly.

 _"What's inside it?"_ Hajime asked as he held it in his hands. It felt heavier than he expected.

 _"Hajime, we don't have time for this. It is imperative you follow my instructions."_

 _"Oh. Sorry…"_ Hajime sighed as he slid his keycard through the reader and entered his dorm room. He shut the door behind him and turned on a light. He set the package down on the coffee table and took a seat on his couch, still holding his phone.

 _"Ok. I'm in my dorm."_

 _"Are all the wind-"_

 _"Yes. All the windows are closed, Peko. I get the picture. This is sensitive business, isn't it?"_

 _"It is, Hajime. I want you to open the package."_ She said in professional tone.

He set his phone down and turned it to speaker, so he could use both made short work of the box, tearing away the tape and opening it up. Inside, there was a black box, made from metal and composite materials. It was nestled in place with plastic braces on both sides, to keep it from jostling. It was like a miniature suitcase with six character combination lock on the handle, with letters and numbers.

 _"Oh yay. I always wanted a box. How did you know?"_ He quipped, attempting to add some levity to the situation.

 _"This is no time for jokes, Hajime. I need you to take this seriously. Lives are at stake. What I am about to tell you is of grave importance."_

 _"I understand,"_ he said as Peko took a deep breath and sighed.

 _"I have received some intel. One of my fellow classmates has informed me of the identity of the perpetrator of the student council massacre."_

 _"Wh-what? Are you serious?!"_ Hajime exclaimed, picking up the phone in his hands and standing up, _"have you confirmed it?"_

 _"I have relayed this information to our intel operatives. They spent the entire day data mining to confirm the information that my classmate disseminated to me. The evidence they were able to uncover… Well I could hardly believe it myself. Hajime, this culprit is more dangerous than we could have ever imagined. Whatever she is planning next, is going to make the student council murders insignificant by comparison."_

 _"She?"_ he asked, perplexed. He somehow didn't imagine a girl being behind this bloodshed.

 _"The combination to the case is C40V36."_

Hajime looked down at the case and felt chills run up his spine. He placed it flat on the table, reached down and gingerly turned the metallic cylinders. The case made a clicking noise as the combination released the lock. He swallowed before slowly opening the box.

Inside of the box was a silver handgun, resting in a foam indentation, along with two magazines of ammo. His legs felt numb and his pupils dilated. He reached for the gun and pulled it out of the case. It was dense, high quality and looked like it had not even been used. He pulled the slide back and it glided smoothly. It was well oiled and ready to go. There were no rounds in the chamber. He slid one of the magazines into place with a snap and clicked the safety release, which snapped the hammer back into place. He set the weapon down on the table and brought his hands to his face, almost in a praying fashion, as he took a deep breath.

 _"The clan has decided that decisive action is necessary. The following orders I am about to give you have been directed straight from the Oyabun himself. The responsibility has fallen upon you to execute this mission, in fulfillment of your duties to Lady Natsumi and the Kuzuryu-Gumi. Failure is not an option. The danger level is critical, as are the stakes. You have one sole objective, that must be completed."_

On the upper half of the box, there was a loose photo. He reached for it and picked it up. There was an image of a girl around his age. She had long, blonde pigtails and was drop-dead gorgeous by any standard. He actually recognized her. She was on the cover of many magazines and was a high profile student. The "Ultimate Fashionista" she was called.

 _"Your objective is to kill Junko Enoshima."_


	16. Chapter 16

Hajime's footsteps pounded the wet pavement as he walked at a brisk pace. He carefully avoided the front entrance of the school, where riots and chaos were taking place, and he instead opted to climb a nearby tree, in order to hop over the gate. He kept a low profile as he made his way towards the Izuru Kamukura statue, on the eastern side of the campus.

As he walked, he felt the weight of the handgun concealed under his jacket. He recalled Peko's briefing for the mission, repeating it in his head to get his mind focused.

 _"Junko Enoshima may look like an ordinary girl, but do not be fooled, Hajime. She is incredibly dangerous. Eliminate her quickly. Don't even give her a chance to speak. Just so you are clear, Hajime, there will be no negotiations and no taking of prisoners on this mission. Enoshima must be eliminated at all costs. That is your only objective. I have included the location of her hideout along with her photo. Do not linger there. Eliminate your target and extract from the location as quickly and discreetly as possible. That is all."_

 _"I understand, but… uh… You're going to be helping me, right?"_

 _"I'm afraid, I will not be able to assist you. I will deal with Junko's right hand accomplice, Mukuro Ikusaba. She is also incredibly dangerous. It will be my job to keep her occupied while you conduct your mission."_

 _"Oh… I see. So you'll be... taking her out too, then?"_ Hajime asked, hesitantly. Peko sighed in response.

 _"I do not revel in bloodshed, Hajime. I would never needlessly take human life,"_ she said with conviction, _"I do not know how strong Mukuro Ikusaba is, but I will do my best to apprehend her alive. But you must understand that we cannot afford that same risk to Junko Enoshima. She is too dangerous to leave alive. However, her associates may be taken alive and turned over to the authorities. They will be much less dangerous with their leader gone."_

 _"Understood… good luck Peko."_

 _"...The same to you, Hajime."_

Hajime's heart was racing, but he was more level headed than he thought he'd be. He had come a long way. He was not the same person he was, a year ago. The school around him was no longer a shining edifice that filled him with awe and humility. It mattered so little to him now. He was like a lion, prowling through ancient ruins. It had no power over him. It was simply a backdrop. It could burn for all he cared.

When he reached the statue, he looked up at it, unimpressed. It was an old, stone statue of the school's founder, Izuru Kamukura. The old man stood with his cane in front of him, resting his hands on top of it. He stared sternly into the distance, with a harsh expression. Hajime recognized that face well. He muttered a "tch" to himself and approached the base. He felt around with his hands, running them along the slick, smooth rock, beneath the statue. He soon found a pressure plate, just as Peko had told him. Soon, the stone began to rumble, as mechanisms shifted the entire structure.

Even though he was expecting it, it was still a shock to see such an elaborate contraption, laying out in the open like this. A stairway was revealed, leading down into pitch black darkness. Hajime looked around from side to side, took a deep breath and embarked into the gloomy tunnels. The statue grinded and shut behind him.

He drew his gun from the holster and turned the safety off. This was it. He had a simple mission. There were no questions and no prisoners. He was going to put an end to this reign of terror and stop whatever Enoshima had in store for Hope's Peak.

As Hajime stepped cautiously through the dark halls, he held his pistol with both hands, at the ready. He was in an unfamiliar environment. This was the enemy's territory and he was at a severe disadvantage. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he cautiously advanced. He whipped out his phone and checked the bars. Of course, he had no reception down here. He had no way of calling for backup.

Suddenly, a subtle scent hit his nostrils. It smelled like sulfur, similar to fireworks, but he knew it was something else. It was the scent of gunfire. The smell got stronger as he continued down the hall until he finally reached a room at the end.

He quickly positioned his back against the wall, just outside of the doorway. He could hear murmuring and talking on the other side. He took a few sharp breaths and steeled himself. His hands clutched the grip of his handgun so hard his knuckles turned white. He turned around, squared himself up with the door and gave it a kick that would make Takuo proud. The door was not even fully shut, so his kick slammed it open with shocking force. He pointed his gun straight at a figure standing in the middle of the room.

The figure was a young man with with white hair. He looked at Hajime with only mild surprise. He had a calm presence and a droopy eyed, smug demeanor. He gave Hajime a surprised, but welcoming smile.

 _"Who the hell are you?"_ Hajime asked, as he kept his gun level with the boy. Nagito raised his hands lazily and nonchalantly.

 _"Woah! You startled me. My name is Nagito Komaeda. I don't believe we've been acquainted… Hold on... Aren't you that Yakuza guy everyone's talking about? Hajime Hinata, right?"_ he responded calmly, as if he was having a pleasant chat in a restaurant, rather than being held at gunpoint.

 _"H-Hajime?"_ a weak voice whimpered from a corner of the room, to the right of Hajime. He recognized that voice all too well and his eyes widened. He took his eyes off the white haired boy, despite all tactical discipline. He turned to see Chiaki, sitting on the floor with her back against the wall, and legs pulled up in a ball. She was still in shock and her body was shaking.

He turned his attention back to Nagito, with suspicion and anger, and he once again trained his gun on him. _"What did you do to Chiaki?! What are you doing here? You have 10 seconds to explain."_

 _"If you really want to kill me, by all means, go ahead, but I don't think we're enemies Hinata. I'm guessing you came here for the same reason I did."_

 _"You mean..."_ Hajime trailed off.

 _"Of course. You're looking for the "Ultimate Despair," aren't you? Don't worry Hinata. It's already been taken care of,"_ he explained. Hajime looked at him in shock, as Nagito stepped aside. Laying on the floor behind him, pooling blood, was the lifeless body of Junko Enoshima. Her body had been riddled with gunshot wounds and blood was pooling around her. Her eyes stared listlessly at the wall.

 _"No way… You did this?"_ Hajime asked, lowering his gun, but not holstering it. He felt queezy and ill, as he couldn't peel his eyes away from the dead girl. This wasn't his first time encountering death, but it was still unsettling, especially to see a girl his age in such a state.

 _"I did what I had to. I didn't necessarily want to, but… I just couldn't let despair win,"_ he said, glancing over at the dead girl.

Hajime was conflicted about this whole thing. On one hand, he was thankful that he didn't have to be the one to kill Enoshima, and that his mission was already successful. On the other hand, something about this Nagito guy really made his skin crawl.

 _"I searched her body and I found this key,"_ he said, holding up a silver key in his bloody fingertips. _"I'm not sure what it goes to, but I think we should have a look around. Would you be willing to help me investigate, Hinata?"_ he asked.

Hajime took in the situation. Even though Junko Enoshima was dead and his mission was completed, there was still more he needed to know. His orders were to evacuate, but it didn't feel right. He had to make sure the threat was fully neutralized.

 _"Hajime.."_ again he heard Chiaki's voice. The girl had tears in her eyes, as she looked up at him. Hajime now felt safe enough to attend to her. He gestured to Nagito, to wait before rushing over to kneel by the frightened and traumatized young woman. He placed his hands on her shoulder.

 _"Chiaki. Are you alright?"_ he asked her. Instead of answering, she only returned with more questions.

 _"What are you doing here Hajime? Why do you have a gun? Were you really planning to..."_ she asked him, with fear in her eyes. Seeing Chiaki look at him like that, felt like a jagged knife in his guts.

 _"I… came here to stop Junko Enoshima and capture her. That's it,"_ he very obviously lied. Chiaki looked at him with melancholy and disappointment.

She looked down and mumbled _"Ok… I understand."_ Hajime then wrapped his arms around her, embracing her in a warm, genuine hug.

After a long embrace, Hajime turned to Nagito, suspiciously. _"Before we go any further, you still have some explaining to do. Why is Chiaki down here?"_ he interrogated angrily. Who knows what could have happened to her down here. It sent chills down his spine, just imagining it.

Nagito shrugged and sighed. _"I suppose that's fair to classes were told to evacuate the school, because of all the unpleasantness going on. During the commotion I slipped away and she followed me, insisting I join the others. Miss Nanami's dedication as a class rep is truly remarkable and fills me with hope."_

Hajime stomped over to him and grabbed Nagito by the neck, slightly choking him.

 _"You idiot! You could have gotten her killed! What were you thinking?!"_

 _"Hajime! Stop!"_ Chiaki cried out, as she rose to her feet and rushed over. _"It's not his fault! He tried to tell me to stay behind and I didn't listen!"_

 _"That doesn't excuse it!"_ Hajime snapped.

 _"It's alright Chiaki. He is totally correct. Endangering you was truly unacceptable, unforgivable. Worthless trash like me doesn't even deser-..."_ he was cut short as Hajime's gripped his neck tighter and he began to choke.

Hajime looked Nagito in the eyes with mistrust and anger. _"You're lucky that she wasn't hurt, because if she was..."_ he trailed off. He looked over at Chiaki who was still staring at him with wide fearful eyes. He closed his eyes and sighed, letting go of Komaeda.

The young man stumbled and gasped, clutching his neck and breathing heavily. Chiaki continued to gaze at Hajime in awe, but also fear. She had never seen this kind of aggression from him before. He was so different now, from the docile, mild mannered young man she first met. She didn't know how to feel about this. What had happened to him, over the past year?

 _"*Cough* U-understood... Hinata…"_ he wheezed submissively, _"I hope we can put that all behind us for now. After all, we still need to investigate what Enoshima was doing here."_

Hajime reluctantly nodded. _"Right. And we need to be on guard. It's possible some of her associates are still here."_

 _"Oh right! I forgot to mention, there was one of them here earlier. In all the excitement, it totally slipped my mind,"_ Komaeda chuckled casually.

 _"Wait, what?! Who?"_ Hajime exclaimed, suddenly on guard. Chiaki stepped in.

 _"I think it was one of our classmates, Ryota Mitarai. But it was strange. The Mitarai from our class is a pretty big guy and we just saw him with the rest of the class. This boy looked skinny and malnourished. They definitely aren't the same person,"_ she pondered.

 _"So one of them is a fake? That's bizarre,"_ Hajime puzzled over the question.

 _"He ran away after I took care of Junko Enoshima, not long before you got here. I'm surprised you didn't run into him,"_ Nagito puzzled.

 _"I must have just missed him or maybe he took another exit. I would like to question him, but there's no point in going after him now,"_ Hajime sighed.

Chiaki crossed her arms and looked down sullenly, _"I don't think he was willingly working for Enoshima. It seemed like he was forced to be here against his will."_

 _"Even so, he still probably knows a lot about what Enoshima was planning,"_ Hajime responded, kicking himself for not arriving sooner.

 _"Regardless, we can do our own investigation, can't we? With the three of us working together, I'm sure we will be a formidable trio,"_ Nagito beamed enthusiastically.

Hajime was uncertain of this. He wanted to get Chiaki out of here, but he was in a pickle. He didn't trust Komaeda to escort her to safety and he didn't want to leave her by herself. He also didn't want to evacuate with her with her and allow Komaeda to explore on his own. The wisest course of action would be for them all to stick together, gather as much information as they could, and then leave the rest of the investigation to the professionals.

The three students cautiously ventured into the hall. Nagito tried the silver key on all the doors, one after another. Finally they came to a large, heavy, metal door at the end of the hall. The key slid into the lock and clicked in place. The door creaked open with a rusty wail. They were greeted with an all encompassing black void. Hajime felt around for a light switch and his fingers grazed a panel on the wall with a large button. He pounded it with his palm and a sudden burst of light filled the room. It was much larger than he expected. It was like an underground warehouse. His eyes went wide and his jaw dropped when he saw what was on display.

 _"Wh-what? What is this?…"_ Hajime trailed off as he and the others stepped out onto the workshop floor. They were surrounded by machines of various kinds, some only partially constructed. They were all sinister in their designs and they looked familiar. Many of them were prototypes to the death machines used on the student council. There were tables lined with spare parts and tools. Gears, bolts, scrap metal, and screws were stacked in bins. There was welding equipment and high tech power tools.

The three students cautiously stepped into house of horrors before them. Chiaki clutched onto Hajime's arm as she took in the terrifying surroundings. There were too many death traps to even comprehend. There was a table with a pendulum hanging over it. Alongside that were large tanks of green acid. There was what looked like a hydraulic press, with mashed up crash test dummies strewn across the floor in front of it.

There was an electronic device which consisted of two cylinders, aligned with each other, attached to a high tech battery. As Nagito placed his hand on it, it hummed to life and a bright red beam shot out of one of the cylinders and lined up with the adjacent one, creating a contained, high power laser beam. When it did, Hajime and Chiaki jumped back instinctively, but Nagito was not phased. Hajime looked at the device in awe. Was this some kind of prototype for a new piece of laser technology?

Nagito then spotted a bulky, sinister looking collar with a padlock, laid out on a workbench. He picked it up and examined it, idly. _"This looks like one of the collars used on the student council members, but the design looks more primitive. Not that I would know anything about this sort of thing,"_ he remarked casually dropping it back on the table. His carelessness with explosives was noted by Hajime and Chiaki, and they quietly kept their distance from him.

 _"Hajime… I don't like this. Let's just leave, this a job for the police. We shouldn't be poking around here,"_ Chiaki urged him, putting her hand on his shoulder. She nervously glanced around the room at all the torture equipment and deadly items strewn about.

Hajime didn't heed her warning, as he was too engrossed in what he was seeing. He stepped through the graveyard of half built contraptions, carefully minding where he stepped. He came to a large cork board, which was set upon a rack with wheels. As he turned it to face him, his eyes went wide. There were blueprints pinned to the board, along with numerous personal files. Each file had a litany of background information and personal details, along with a photo of the subject. Among the files, he saw the faces of the entire Class 78. This was the same class the Junko Enoshima and her sister belonged to. Hajime saw a few familiar faces, such as Kyoko Kirigiri.

 _"What the hell is this?"_ Hajime muttered, putting his hand to his mouth. _"What was she planning to do?"_

Stone and pavement ground against one another, as the Izuru Kamukura statue revealed the passageway below. Hajime emerged from the darkness, along with Chiaki and Nagito. The rain had been reduced to a light drizzle, but the rioting could still be heard, not too far away. Chiaki breathed a heavy sigh of relief and fell to her knees as they emerged from the cold, dark passageway.

 _"So what is our next course of action?"_ Nagito asked Hajime with a trusting smile.

 _"I…"_ Hajime paused for a moment. He really didn't know what to do, honestly. This was an incredibly dicey situation. What would Peko do in a situation like this?

He almost slapped his own forehead. _(Of course! Peko!)_ , he suddenly remembered. He needed to tell her what had happened and make sure that she was also safe. He reached for his phone, but as he did, it happened to go off on its own. Peko was already calling him.

He whipped it out quickly and answered it. _"I'm here,"_ he spoke calmly.

 _"Hajime. I'm glad I finally got through to you. I was worried something had happened."_

 _"Don't worry, I'm fine. I finished the mission"_

 _"You mean… Enoshima-"_

 _"Yes"_

 _"Understood. Good work, Hajime. Unfortunately Mukuro Ikusaba is also dead."_

Hajime's blood went cold as he heard this. The body count just kept rising and rising.

Peko continued _. "I will meet you at the west side of the school perimeter. Then we will make our egress"_

 _"Hold on, Peko. I have two other students with me from your class. Nagito Komaeda and Chiaki Nanami. It's a long story, but they got caught up in this too. What should they do?"_

Peko was silent for a moment, as she pondered the correct course of action. Her mind was like a computer, running through the protocols she had been instructed with, for every possible situation.

 _"Tell them to relocate to a safe place and tell no one of what transpired here, until they have been instructed by representatives from the clan. I can promise you that they will be protected in all of this, but right now, evacuation is top priority."_

 _"Understood. I'll see you soon,"_ Hajime responded before hanging up and explaining the situation to the others. Komaeda seemed to readily accept it without a second thought, but Chiaki was more apprehensive and hesitant about the whole thing. She still looked at Hajime with worry and a hint of fear, which was surprisingly excruciating for him.

 _"Wait, Komaeda!"_ Hajime called out as he suddenly remembered something. He couldn't believe he didn't ask this earlier. Nagito looked back at him curiously.

 _"How did you know about the location of Junko's hideout? Who told you?"_

Komaeda just looked at him for a moment and smiled ambiguously. He put his hands in his pockets and walked away, without answering the question. Hajime just scoffed in annoyance.

 _(What an odd guy…)_

After they dispersed, Hajime made his way over to Peko, who was waiting by the gate. Hajime noticed that Peko had a cut on her face and blood was staining her sleeve from a deep gash on her upper arm. It was hard for Hajime to imagine anyone being able to injure her in combat, like this. Ikusaba must have been a truly dangerous opponent.

 _"Are you alright, Peko?"_ he asked. The silver haired girl nodded in response.

 _"Yes. And you?"_ She replied, crossing her arms.

 _"Yeah. To tell you the truth, I wasn't the one who killed Junko Enoshima. It was that Komaeda guy."_

Peko looked only somewhat surprised at this. She closed her eyes and shook her head. _"I apologize. I should have warned you about him. He was the informant I mentioned, but I never expected him to take on Enoshima himself."_

 _"I guess it doesn't matter now,"_ Hajime shrugged.

 _"Correct. All that matters now is getting back to Master Fuyuhiko and Mistress Natsumi. You did well, Hajime"_

 _"Thanks… but…"_ Hajime trailed off.

 _"What is it?"_ Peko inquired.

Hajime looked up at the sky for a moment. _"Doesn't it seem like things went almost a little_ ** _too_** _perfectly. It just… feels strange."_

 _"Just be grateful that they did, Hajime. Anyway, let's not stand around. Come."_ she beckoned as she led him over to where multiple bars had been removed from the gate. Just as Hajime was climbing through, his phone went off. He quickly grabbed it and brought it to his ear.

Before he could even say "hello" he heard a familiar voice.

 _"Oh my god! Finally, you decided to answer your damn phone!"_

It was Fuyuhiko. Hajime was taken a bit off guard by being suddenly yelled at by the young gangster.

 _"Sorry man, I was kinda busy,"_ Hajime explained, awkwardly

 _"Why aren't you and Peko here with us? No one is telling us shit! The news says that the whole school is falling apart! Natsumi is absolutely losing her mind and she is refusing to get on the plane! I'm pissed too! Do you wanna tell me what the hell is going on?!"_

 _"I'm sorry. There was something we needed to take care of, but its all good now. We will be meeting with you. Everything's fine, I swear,"_ Hajime said in an attempt to calm the young man down.

 _"Tch… well try telling that to Natsumi,"_ he grumbled.

 _"Is she there?"_ Hajime asked, as he felt like something was constricting his chest.

 _"Sure. Here she is,"_ Fuyuhiko sighed as he handed the phone over to her. The other end was quiet for a long moment.

 _"Uh… hey,"_ Hajime murmured awkwardly.

 _"Don't "hey" me!"_ Natsumi griped, but in a sadder, weaker tone than normal. _"I've been trying to get a hold of you for hours! Do you have any idea how worried I was?"_

 _"I… I'm sorry. I'll tell you everything when I get there. I promise. Everything,"_ he said, in a genuine tone.

 _"Tch… you better…"_ she sighed angrily before she mumbled _"I love you."_

Hajime smiled and closed his eyes. _"I love you too."_

Ryota Mitarai crouched under the shade of a large tree, as thick, heavy raindrops continued to pelt the leaves above him. It provided menial cover from the storm, but his clothes were still soaked. His shoes were caked in mud and his hair was messy. He panted slightly, as he was still catching his breath. He leaned back against the bark of the three and ran his fingers through his hair, swiping it out of his face. His other hand clutched a brown briefcase to his chest. His face was even more pale than usual and his body shivered and quaked. His pupils were still dilated and he fidgeted incessantly.

He was in the outskirts of Hope's Peak campus, deep in the outlying woods. There was a river nearby, which flowed louder than usual, due to the heavy rainfall. It created an ambience that drowned out the sound of chaos in the distance.

 _"Calm down. It's alright. She's gone now. Soon, everything will go back to normal. I can… make up for everything. I know I can,"_ he muttered to himself and gnawed his thumb, neurotically. He looked around him and wondered what was taking this person so long. He was growing impatient and restless. He could hear sirens in the distance, which made him jumpy. He silently cursed to himself and prayed that the person would get there before police did.

 _"Why am I so worried, anyway? I didn't kill anyone… I didn't do anything wrong… So what if the police find me? I'll just tell them the truth,"_ he continued to murmur to himself. Just then, he heard squishy footsteps approaching. Mitarai jumped up quickly and looked around. He then saw a figure emerging from the shadowy treeline.

He had a look, of surprise. _"Y-you?"_ he exclaimed in surprise. _"Why are you here?"_

He received a short response from the visitor.

 _"Oh… I see. I didn't know you were involved in all this. I guess we can talk about that later,"_ Mitarai sighed, in relief, _"Let's get out of here while we still can. Oh, and I have the files, right here, just like I promised,"_ he said, showing them the briefcase.

The other person nodded and gestured for Mitarai to follow.

 _"There is a bridge that crosses the river, not too far from here. If we hurry, we should be able to-"_

Thunder cracked and Mitarai stopped in his tracks. He turned around slowly to see that there was a gun pointed right at his face. It was surreal. It took him a few moments to comprehend what was happening. He stood there, like a deer staring into headlights.

 _"But why… why would you…"_ he stammered before the gun was shoved into his mouth. It aimed upward. Mitarai sputtered and gagged and his body locked up in terror.

He didn't even have time to contemplate his life or the decisions he had made. His world went black as the bullet ripped upward through his skull. His lifeless body collapsed to the soft, muddy earth.

The malevolent figure crouched beside him and their gloved hand gently took Mitarai's wrist. The gun was placed in the young man's hand and clasped tightly. They then picked up the briefcase, rose to their feet and slowly walked away.

Rain continued to fall peacefully on Mitarai's body. It would discovered mere hours later.

Cause of death: Suicide

4 months later

Hajime stared into the mirror as he straightened his tie. Today was the day that this chapter in his life would finally come to an end. It was difficult to fully take in the fact that his two years at Hope's Peak were at an end and that soon he would leave the school behind forever. His academic accomplishments were less than stellar during his time there. He hadn't accomplished what he initially set out to do, when he first arrived. Despite his original intentions, he was still totally bereft of talent, but he had attained something else entirely. At least the school officials didn't lie when they said that attending the reserve course would put him on a lucrative career path. However, he never could have expected this.

It was gradual, but Hope's Peak slowly returned to some semblance of normalcy. The tragic events set in motion by Junko Enoshima left a permanent stain on the school's legacy and sent ripples through the nation. However, her death and exposure did a lot to reverse the tide of chaos that had almost overtaken the country. Somehow, everything resolved itself in the end. The idea that such a malignant threat could be resolved so quickly and easily almost seemed too good to be true. Hajime remained on edge for weeks after the event of Junko's death. However, over time it became clear that her plans had been thoroughly crushed. He was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief.

In the subsequent month after the incident, Hajime, Peko, and the Kuzuryu siblings stayed clear of the school. It was decided for their own safety and privacy, in wake of the events. The group took up residence in the same vacation house on the outskirts of Osaka, that they had visited over a year prior. It was a little too cold to swim at this time of year, but the beach remained as pristine as ever, albeit with a cloudy, overcast climate. The four of them shared a bittersweet sense of nostalgia, and it reminded them how much they had changed, in such a short time. They were no longer the brash, naive kids that they were before. They had seen things and done things that would change them forever, but they were stronger now, and they were ready to face the world.

When they returned to Hope's Peak, they were surprised to see it recovering faster than they had anticipated. Students in both the reserve course and main course had banded together in order to mend the damage that Enoshima and her associates had caused. Some of the student council members had withdrawn and returned home. Aiko was one of the few who refused to leave. Her resolve and bravery garnered her adoration and made her the face of the Hope's Peak recovery effort. True there were straggler journalists, still trying to get whatever more milage they possibly could from the story. There were also still some students who hadn't quite given up their delinquent ways, but overall it was a positive atmosphere.

Hajime and Natsumi returned to class, to an uneasy reception. They understood why. After these events, they would never have a normal relationship to their school and classmates, however they both resolved to finish their final school year and graduate. The option was given from them to simply "test out," and receive their diplomas, but they refused the offer. They only had a few months left, after all.

So, now the day had finally come. Today was the day they would graduate Hope's Peak. The time that they had spent here seemed to fly by in the blink of an eye. Some in their position would mourn the passing of this exciting chapter in their youth, but it wasn't like that for them. Hope's Peak seemed so grand and imposing when they first arrived, but now it felt small. There was an infinitely larger world waiting for them. They would have new responsibilities and challenges. Hope's Peak had played a crucial role in their lives, but they had outgrown it. It was time to move on.

Hajime stepped out of his dorm room and gazed up as the morning sun rose over the tower of Hope's Peak. He took a deep breath of the crisp morning air and made his way down the stairs. He felt calm and at ease, as he walked with his hands in his pockets. He caught sight of a blonde girl standing by the gate to the reserve course building. She wore a white summer dress and stood with her hands behind her back, leaning back against the brick wall. She looked up at the sky as if she was pondering something. Her concentration was broken as she heard footsteps. She turned to see Hajime approaching her and she raised an eyebrow.

 _"Geez, you sure took your sweet time,"_ she complained, haughtily, _"You realize the graduation ceremony is THIS year, right?"_

Hajime stopped in his tracks. He watched her standing there, with her hair and white dress gently swaying in the wind. He felt a glowing warmth coming over him and he just smiled.

 _"You're so gorgeous,"_ he said dreamily, without even thinking about what he was saying. He was just thinking out loud and didn't even respond to her snide remark.

 _"H-huh?"_ Natsumi's face flushed red with surprise as he said that. It caught her off guard and she looked away, _"Don't think you can get off the hook by hitting with me with compliments."_

 _"I mean it, though. You look so… mature that it's almost intimidating,"_ he said, with a chuckle.

Natsumi looked at him, her mouth slightly agape. Her cheeks grew redder and redder. She looked away and grumbled.

 _"You idiot… you always say the most embarrassing stuff…"_ she sighed, but then she moved the hair out of her eyes and smiled at him. It was that warm, gentle smile that Hajime always longed for just a glimpse of, _"Thanks… you're looking pretty hot too,"_ she said, slyly.

Hajime walked up to her and gently brushed his hand against hers. _"Are you ready?"_ he asked.

 _"Yeah,"_ she said with a nod, taking his hand in hers.


	17. Chapter 17

Chiaki closed her eyes as a gentle spring breeze caressed her in a refreshing embrace. She breathed in and out as a smile traced across her lips. She lounged on the edge of the concrete fountain, leaning back on her arms. There wasn't a cloud in the sky and the Sakura trees were in full bloom. She was so content in this moment, that she didn't even feel the desire to play her video games, at least not until she got home later. It could wait.

Chiaki wasn't usually one for fancy attire and she always felt more than a little out of place at big events. However, today was an exception. She donned a dress skirt and an elegant, black, short-sleeve low cut top. Around her neck was a necklace given to her by her mother, with a simple gold locket.

The graduation ceremony had finally come and gone. Everyone in her class had already said their final goodbyes and were ready to set out on new adventures, going their own separate ways. Most of them had already left with their families, but Chiaki had lingered. There was still someone she wanted to talk to. While she sat there waiting for him, she found herself lost in thought.

 _"Kept you waiting, Huh? Sorry about that"_

Chiaki's eyes opened wide and she quickly turned her head to see a familiar boy standing with his hands in his pockets. She smiled warmly.

 _"Not at all, Hajime. I knew you would be here."_

He took a seat on the fountain beside Chiaki and rested his hands on his knees. For a few long moments, the both of them just sat there without saying a word. The right ones didn't come to them immediately. A heavy silence hung over them, despite their outwardly cheery dispositions.

 _"So… I heard you gave a speech in front of the whole assembly. What was that like?"_ Hajime asked, breaking the silence.

 _"It was… it was kind of terrifying, to be honest,"_ she chuckled, _"But once I started talking, it got a little easier."_

 _"You're braver than me, Chiaki. What got you through it?"_

 _"Well, they say that it's easier to give a speech if you imagine the audience is in their underwear. But then I remembered that would involve imagining TeruTeru in his underwear. That made me realize that there are things much scarier than public speaking,"_ she said, raising her finger and speaking in a "matter of fact" voice.

Hajime put his hand to his mouth and suppress a laugh. The girl's casual, unintended savagery was something to behold.

 _"What about you, Hajime? How was your graduation ceremony?"_ she inquired.

 _"Oh. It was nothing special really. It was pretty standard. Some students gave speeches. I didn't, of course. I'm the last person they would want to give a speech."_

 _"Oh… I see."_

Once again, a nervous silence rolled over the both of them. It was never like this, a year prior. Hajime scratched the back of his neck and Chiaki rested her hands in her lap, quietly.

 _"So… I guess this is it, then,"_ Chiaki said quietly, looking down.

 _"Yeah…"_ Hajime muttered. _"So, uh... where are you going to go from here?"_

 _"I've been accepted into a college with a really good course in game design. I'll be starting in the fall. What about you?"_

Hajime opened his mouth to speak, but stopped. He saw Chiaki cast a look of cautious curiosity at him. He knew they were both thinking the same thing in that moment.

 _"I'll be… uh… working full time for Natsumi's family… you know, protecting her and stuff."_

 _"Oh! It's great that you have a job already lined up. They say it's good to get into the workforce early, these days. Experience goes a long way. Heh heh,"_ she said, attempting a sincere smile and not really succeeding. They both looked away for yet another long, silent moment.

 _"You don't approve of this, do you?"_ he asked her in a calm, serious, mature tone.

 _"No. I can't say I do, Hajime,"_ she said, dejectedly.

 _"I understand."_

 _"I don't want you to get hurt, Hajime. I really, really don't."_

 _"I know that."_

 _"And… I don't want you hurting other people. I know that's not who you are."_

 _"..."_ Hajime had a hard time responding to that one but Chiaki didn't want to press any further.

 _"Look, Chiaki..."_

 _"Its ok. You don't have to justify yourself to me, Hajime. I know I'm not being fair. I shouldn't even be saying these things. I was just… thinking out loud. I'm sorry."_

 _"It's fine Chiaki…"_

The sound of laughter could be heard in the distance as a clique of chattering students walked together, patting each other on the back. These long silences were absolutely killing Hajime.

 _"… You're happy, right?"_ she asked, softly.

 _"Huh?"_

 _"With Natsumi and the others. Do you think you've found what you were looking for?"_

 _"Not really,"_ he responded with a laugh.

Chiaki was shocked at this and looked at him wide eyed.

 _"Oh! I didn't mean that I'm not happy. I meant your other question."_ he explained quickly, trying to ease Chiaki's distress. _"No, I didn't find what I came to this school, looking for. I wanted to be talented. I was hoping I could find it here, somehow, but I found something else. I think it's something far more important... I'm actually happy with who I am, now. I'm where I want to be, in life. I don't want to be anywhere else. It's the first time I've ever felt that way before. And I found someone I can't live without."_

Chiaki's look of shock changed to a warm, understanding smile. _"I understand, Hajime. I hope it all works out for you. And if it doesn't, I'll always be there to help you, if you need me,"_ she said sweetly, placing her hand on her chest. Behind that smile, she was concealing a wrenching pain in her chest. It felt like it was going to twist and turn her inside out. There were things she wanted to say, but she too considerate for her own good.

She quickly changed the subject. _"Oh, before I forget. I have something for you, Hajime,"_ she said, withdrawing a device from her pocket. She presented it to him. _"I'm sorry I didn't have time to wrap it, but I want you to have this"_

Hajime took it in his hands and realized it was her treasured GPX D3. He always saw her playing it. She was glued to this thing 24/7. He rarely saw her without it clutched tightly in her hands.

 _"Chiaki… this thing's expensive. I can't just take this from you."_

 _"You're not taking it. I'm giving it to you. I want you to have it. There are alot of games you still need to play. Also, it has netplay, so we can play together some time."_

Chiaki suddenly stood up, with her hands behind her back. _"There's one more thing, Hajime. But you'll need to close your eyes,"_ she said, with a slight blush on her cheeks. Hajime hadn't seen her like this. If he didn't know better, he would say she was getting flirtatious.

 _"Uh… sure"_ he said, with a nervous laugh. He closed his eyes and sat still. Chiaki looked around nervously and leaned towards him, swiping the hair out of her face with her right hand. Her face grew hotter and more flushed as it grew closer to his. He froze up stiff as he could feel her warm presence. He knew they were face to face. The warmth of her breath could be felt on his lips.

Chiaki's chest was on fire. She knew this might be the last time she would ever see him. This was her last chance and they were only inches away. However, something else was eating away at her. Guilt. She knew this wasn't right. It wasn't fair to Hajime, Natsumi or anyone. If this was to be their last moment together, she had no right to ruin it with such a self centered act. At the last moment, placed her hand on his head and planted the kiss on his forehead.

"Take care of yourself, Hajime"

Hajime took one last look over his shoulder, at the tower of Hope's Peak. It still glistened and towered above him like it did when he first arrived, but all traces of his initial discontent and sense of inferiority had been washed away. He turned his back to the school and began to walk away. He could see Natsumi and the others, loading their bags into a black SUV, preparing to set off. Hajime was about to walk over to join them when he heard a familiar voice.

 _"Mr Hinata,"_ said a cool, reserved voice from behind him. He turned around to see the amethyst haired, young detective standing with crossed arms. _"May I speak with you for a moment?"_

 _"Umm…"_ Hajime responded, hesitantly, glancing over to the others. Was she really going to hassle him right as he was literally about to leave the school forever?

 _"I'm not here to interrogate you or accuse you of anything.. I… would actually like to apologize. I was far too accusatory of you, without proper evidence,"_ Kyoko apologized, still speaking in her stern, cold tone of voice. It seemed to Hajime that it was the only way she knew how to talk.

 _"Oh.. well… It's not a big deal at this point. Don't worry about it,"_ Hajime responded, scratching his head awkwardly.

 _"If you would allow me, I would like to discuss a few things with you, before you leave."_

Hajime looked at her curiously. He was uneasy around this girl, but something told him he should hear her out. The two of them sat down at a picnic table under a tree, at the edge of the courtyard. There were no other students around and they could speak openly. Hajime was the first to speak up.

 _"So, how's the investigation coming? Is it pretty much wrapped up now?"_

Kyoko looked troubled and glanced away. _"As far as the school and police are concerned... I suppose it is,"_ she said with a hint of chagrin.

 _"But what about you?"_ he asked, obviously keying in on her body language.

 _"No. Not quite. There are still some questions that remain unanswered."_

 _"Like what?"_ Hajime replied with a hint of nervousness.

 _"I am not accusing you of anything, Hinata. On the contrary. I am sharing this information with you because I believe you may be able to help me."_

 _"Oh… Uh, I'll do my best, I guess,"_ Hajime replied. _"So what's bothering you?"_

 _"First of all, the location of the student council killing game has yet to be discovered. Enoshima's lair was searched from top to bottom and it does not match the location seen in the videos. We couldn't even uncover any clues as to the whereabouts of that location."_

 _"I see… That's pretty important."_

" _Yes. It is a crucial piece of the puzzle that remains missing. Although, we did discover how the student council was spirited away from the school. There is a second exit that leads outside the school grounds."_

 _"Is that how Ryota Mitarai escaped too?"_ Hajime blurted out. Kyoko looked at him curiously.

 _"Yes… but how did you guess that?"_ Kyoko asked, with a hint of suspicion. Hajime realized what the had done.

 _"It's… just basic deduction. He killed himself outside school grounds, right?"_

Kyoko put her hand to her chin and looked away, ponderously.

 _"That is… another topic of contention for me. Mitarai's death is highly suspect."_

 _"Do you think foul play was involved?"_ Hajime asked. Kyoko looked at him with her blank cold eyes and nodded.

 _"Mitarai fits the mental profile of a potential suicide victim. I can't deny that. A troubled past, high stress, anxiety, depression. Perhaps he was scared of being caught and convicted as an accomplice. But still, his actions make little sense. Why would he escape, only to kill himself?"_

 _"That's true. That part doesn't really make logical sense, but it could have been a last minute decision. Criminals in police chases have done the same thing in the past."_

 _"Yes. I'm not discounting that possibility entirely, but I think it is important to put ourselves in Mitarai's position. One of the few pieces of information we were able to get out of Komaeda was that Mitarai expressed to him that he was being held under duress. He was being forcibly conscripted by Enoshima to serve her interests. As such, in his position, he should have welcomed his liberation."_

Hajime thought about this for a moment. _"Well, maybe he was more complicit than he wanted to admit. Maybe he just said that as an excuse to cover for his actions. Then, when he realized he wasn't going to get away it, he decided to kill himself."_

 _"Before we discuss this any further, are you aware of what kind of work he was doing for Enoshima? Or, if we are to believe him, work he was being forced to do for Enoshima."_

Hajime scratched his head. _"He's the Ultimate Animator, right? I really don't know what use he would be to her."_

 _"What if I were to tell you that Ryota Mitarai had devised sophisticated brainwashing techniques, using animated sequences and patterns with intense subliminal messages."_

 _"What? Could he really do that?!"_ Hajime asked, in disbelief. That sounded really far fetched, even for an "Ultimate." It was like something out of a Sci-Fi movie, but it would explain why Junko would take such an interest in him.

 _"I'm not supposed to tell you this, Hinata. This is highly classified, so you will take this to your grave. One way or another. Is that understood?"_

Hajime nodded nervously, as Kyoko glared daggers at him.

 _"We uncovered disturbing information. Enoshima had already begun experimenting with this tool in vile and inhuman ways. I would rather not discuss them in detail."_

 _"That's… crazy. That kind of power in the hands of someone like her…"_

 _"Yes, and If we hadn't stopped her when we did… well, we probably wouldn't be alive to have this conversation."_ Kyoko paused for a moment and furrowed her brow. She looked in Hajime's eyes. "Hmm…" she murmured.

 _"What is it?"_ he asked, nervously.

 _"Did you not notice it as well, Mr Hinata? How… suddenly and abruptly all of this came to an end, just at the perfect moment? Doesn't that strike you as odd?"_

Hajime pondered this. He had these same suspicions, but no one else seemed to share them, up until now. _"Yeah. I thought the same thing."_

 _"Junko's plans were incredibly sophisticated and well planned. She managed to work her way right under the school's nose and if she hadn't have been caught when she did, she would have likely succeeded in her plans,"_ Kyoko said in a dark, ominous tone.

 _"That's true…"_

 _"Nagito Komaeda. He is a member of the 77th class and the one who killed Junko Enoshima. He was questioned about it, but his answers were vague and nonsensical. We couldn't extract any valuable intelligence from him. Most of all, we weren't able to determine where he attained the location of Junko Enoshima's lair."_

Hajime thought back on that as well. When he had asked Nagito about that, he simply received a blank smile in response. What was that boy hiding?

 _"In my view, this is a glaring omission that calls the entire investigation into question."_

 _"Do you think that Komaeda was in league with Enoshima?"_

 _"That seems unlikely. Their ideologies were polar opposites. Also, Komaeda has been out of the country for months, and since he has been back, he has been under close surveillance. I think that all of the clues we have examined point us towards a different possibility."_

Hajime came to the same realization as Kyoko said this.

 _"What if Junko had another accomplice that has yet to be revealed?"_ Kyoko theorized, as Hajime's blood ran cold.

 _"Do you... think there is someone else out there, as we speak?"_

 _"It is just a hypothesis. I have no hard evidence to back this up. They haven't made a move in the past 4 months. That certainly detracts from my theory, but if I'm correct, the same person who organized Junko's downfall from within also murdered Ryota Mitarai. It would mean that they are still out there and they could have a truly world shattering power at their disposal."_

 _"Why are you telling me all this, Kirigiri?"_

The young woman paused for a moment, before replying. _"Truthfully, I am still not convinced that the Yakuza are totally uninvolved in this series of events. There is something at work here. I don't know how it all ties together, but perhaps you will be able to uncover something."_

 _"Uh, sure. I'll see what I can do."_ Hajime replied, still not sure if she was suspicious of him as well.

Hajime could almost see the hint of a smile on Kyoko's lips. Almost. She nodded. _"Thank you Hinata. If you should acquire any useful information, please relay it to me"_ she said, turning to walk away.

The amethyst haired girl stopped in her tracks. _"Oh, and one more thing, Hinata… If this person does, in fact, exist, and if you should happen run into them… do whatever it takes to stop them. Whatever it takes."_

Hajime, straightened his tie as the elevator ascended. This was the first time that he had returned to the Oshigori tower in many months. Peko, Natsumi, and Fuyuhiko stood alongside him in the elevator. All of them were still wearing their graduation clothes. Natsumi still donned her white dress. Peko wore a skirt with black button up coat and tie. It was formal and professional. Fuyuhiko wore his new trench coat over his suit. He was slightly taller than when he had first met Hajime. His his hair had grown longer too and he had a short ponytail tied behind his head. He crossed his arms impatiently as they ascended the tower.

The elevator doors opened with a ding, and the four of them stepped out. The executive chamber had large, concave bay windows behind the Oyabun's desk. The surrounding windows also gave a wide and dizzying view of the city below. Rain gently drizzled outside and the misty clouds looked like they were nearly at arm's reach. Three men awaited them. The Oyabun sat at his desk, flanked by Yudai Sagara and Takuo. They stood, arms crossed. Waiting for them.

 _"Welcome"_ the Oyabun said solemnly, his fingers interlocked and his elbows resting on the table. He closed his eyes for a moment. The four young graduates stood in a row bowed to him. The room was silent in that moment, save for the rain outside.

 _"I would like to say a few words. If you don't mind,"_ He said, standing up from his chair, placing his hands on the desk and resting his body weight on them. Natsumi looked at him curiously.

 _"Dad?..."_ she trailed off. He looked more serious than she had seen him in a while. The Oyabun walked around his desk and stood in front of the four of them, with his hands behind his back. He looked over each of them.

 _"Every generation of our clan has had a great struggle to overcome. They have all had to forage their own page in history. The four of you are no exception to that rule. You are part of that history. I know that you have endured a lot. You've come face to face with death, time and time again. I know without a doubt that the future of the Kuzuryugumi is in capable, strong hands."_

The four of them felt a swelling sense of pride as they stood there. They were no longer the kids they were when they entered Hope's Peak. As Hajime looked around he saw proud, strong adults, with unwavering resolve. He never really stopped to appreciate how much they had progressed, until now. They were hardly recognizable.

Matsushige first walked up to Fuyuhiko. He reached out his hand, which Fuyuhiko did not hesitate to return. Fuyuhiko's grip was noticeably stronger, which brought a smile to the Oyabun's face.

 _"Now there's a handshake."_ He said with a smirk. Fuyuhiko smirked back. The Oyabun put his other arm around Fuyuhiko and pulled him in to give him a manly hug.

 _"Son…. I'll be honest. You are a far wiser and far stronger young man than I was at your age. I can only imagine how much of a superior leader you will be, when you take my place. "_ He said, to which Fuyuhiko blushed slightly, tipping his hat down to cover his eyes.

Peko was next in line. The Oyabun took her hand in his. She looked at him with reverence and a hint of nervousness.

 _"Peko…. You have watched over my son since the day he was born. You are a guardian worthy of the history books. You are as resolute and strong willed as you are beautiful, and I would wish nothing else than for you to stay by my son's side forever."_

Peko blushed crimson _. "Y-yes, sir. Of course I will"_ She said, glancing over at Fuyuhiko, who was also flushed red. The Oyabun moved on to Natsumi. He took her hand as well and kissed it gently. Natsumi looked away, slightly embarrassed.

 _"Natsumi… you are as radiant and beautiful as your mother was... and just as stubborn. But I know that you are stronger and more caring than either of us were. And I know that one day you and Hajime will be far better parents."_

Natsumi's face flushed red at the last part. _"W-ha...what? What are you talking about, daddy?! It's… way too soon to be talking about that!"_ she grumbled as she cast a distressed glance at Hajime, who was unsure of how to react.

 _"Of course, of course. There's definitely no rush. I don't need to become a grandpa just yet. I'm just really proud of the woman that you've become, "_ he said, which caused Natsumi to look away before tightly hugging him. The Oyabun gently pet her head, just as he did when she was little. She eventually pulled away and regained her composure. The Oyabun finally moved on to Hajime.

 _"Last, but not least….. Mr Hinata... The Hammer, himself."_ He said with a smile, as Hajime straightened himself rigidly, at attention.

 _"Ever since I first heard about you, Hajime, I knew you were something special. You'd have to be, to put up with my lovely daughter's antics. However, I never expected that you would be such blessing to my family. You have exceeded my expectations time and time again. You have tackled every obstacle presented to you and surmounted them all. You have done more for my family in a year, than most do in a lifetime. My family could not be more lucky to have you."_ He said, reaching out his hand. Hajime clasped it tightly and shook it. Both of their hands had deep scars on them. For the first time, Hajime truly felt a personal bond with the Oyabun. For the first time, he felt that he was truly worthy to be a part of this family.

 _"Thanks you sir… That means a lot. I hope that I can continue to be of service to your family,"_ He said, slightly bowing his head.

 _"And... just so you're aware… . If you wanted to ask for my daughter's hand in marriage, I would totally be down with that."_

Hajime's mouth was agape in shock and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. Fuyuhiko and even Peko were also shocked. Natsumi's face was beet red and she beat on her father's shoulder with balled up fists.

 _"Goddammit dad! Stop trying to embarass me!"_ She cried out angrily. The grizzled Yakuza boss just chuckled.

 _"Hey, hey. I was just putting it out there."_ he laughed as Natsumi crossed her arms and pouted. Hajime sighed, but smiled warmly. Natsumi's gaze met his and she gave him a weak smile back. The Oyabun stepped back and took out large, silver bottle of sake from a drawer in his desk.

" _Today, all four of you are ready, not just for adulthood, but to become true Kuzuryu. Up until now, your lives have been all about preparation, always looking ahead to the future. Well, that future is now. It's time for you to take your place as leaders. I've seen you all in action. I know you have what it takes. So, today we make it official. Today you will join me in the innermost circle of the clan. It is time for you to take your place as the next generation of Kuzuryu."_

Takuo spoke up for the first time in all of this.

 _"If any of you wish to walk away from this, this is your chance."_ he said, in an even more serious tone than usual.

 _"Thats right"_ said Yudai. _"This isn't something that is being forced on you. That goes for you too, Natsumi, Fuyuhiko."_

 _"Can we just get on with this already. You already know what the answer will be"_ Natsumi jeered haughtily, thinly masking her nervousness and excitement. She then felt something brush against her side. Hajime had covertly slipped his hand down and nudged hers with it. She quickly took his hand in hers, interlacing their fingers.

The Oyabun poured the Sake into one glass and held it up.

 _"This is where it begins. The next chapter of Kuzuryu history will be written by the four of you. Everyone in this room is prepared to sacrifice, prepared to fight, prepared to kill, and prepared to die for the legacy of this family. To consummate this vow, you may all drink."_

He then passed the cup around the room to all of those in attendance, including Yudai and Takuo. Natsumi, who was not accustomed to alcohol, winced a little as she sipped it down. Peko and Fuyuhiko also took their respective turns.

The last person it reached was Hajime. He looked down at the glass for just a brief moment longer than the others before drinking. It wasn't due to hesitation. It was just mind blowing to think of how far he had come, to get to this moment. Before coming to Hope's Peak, he never would have imagined that this was the future that awaited him.

He drank it all down without any further thought.

 **One Day Later**

( _This is it?_ ) Hajime wondered to himself as he stood in front of the dingy tattoo parlor. The neon sign above him read "Takeshi Ink" in red neon. It gently flickered and looked like it could burn out at any moment. The walls were brick and the parlor was nestled between two larger buildings. It was noticeably older than any of the businesses in the surrounding area. It was an unassuming, "hole in the wall" type of place.

Fuyuhiko, Peko and Natsumi exited the SUV behind him and also seemed less than impressed with the locale.

 _"This is it? What a dump,"_ Fuyuhiko grumbled. Natsumi also was perplexed.

 _"Is this really the place?"_ she asked Hajime.

This was where "the greatest tattoo artist in Japan" was said to be located, at least according to Matsushige Kuzuryu.

Hajime made his way up the stairs, followed by the others. It was cramped and dingy. They passed a few locked doors along the way, that were possibly for living quarters, but Hajime couldn't be sure. They finally reached the third floor, where a final door awaited them. It had a window of foggy glass with a faint light emanating from the other side. There was a speaker on the wall adjacent to it.

Hajime hesitantly pressed the button. The sound of a buzzer could be heard on the other side. The speaker crackled to life and a gruff voice could be heard. It was the voice of a man of an advanced age.

 _"We're closed,"_ he said, bluntly. Hajime was a bit shocked.

 _"We're here for the tattoos"_ he said, but the man simply replied the same.

 _"We're closed"_ he grunted again, in an annoyed tone.

 _"I'm here with Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu and Natsumi Kuzu-"_ Hajime said, but before he could finish the door opened. A man in his 70s stood before them. He had tan leathery skin and a shaved head. He wore a tanktop and his torso was absolutely covered in old, fading tattoos.

 _"Ah. Its you four. I thought you weren't supposed to be here until tomorrow… I guess it can't be helped. Come in,_ " He said, beckoning them inside.

As they entered the parlor, there was a smell of cigarette smoke in the air. There was a woman of the same age as the man, sitting at a small table. There was a cast iron tea kettle on a small burner, and she puffed away at a cigarette. She looked up at them skeptically as they entered. Like the man, she had tattoos, but most of them were covered up by the sweater she was wearing.

The old man closed the door behind them and walked over to a nearby sink, to wash his hands.

 _"My name is Fujio Takeshi. And this is my wife, Anzu. We have served the Kuzuryu family for 3 generations. And it looks you will be the fourth. But seriously, why did this have to be on my day off."_ he grumbled.

 _"So… how does this work? Do we get a catalogue to look through or what?"_ Fuyuhiko asked as the old man just sighed in response. His wife, Anzu stood up. She took the cigarette out of her mouth and mashed it on a nearby ashtray.

 _"One does not simply choose their markings. They must reflect who you are within"_

 _"What? So you're just gonna chose them for us?!"_ Natsumi complained. The man shook his head.

 _"I won't choose anything. You will receive a tattoo befitting your true self. My job is simply to look within you and bring out that form."_ He explained. The four of them were suspicious of this, but if it was truly a Kuzuryu tradition, it seemed unwise to protest too much.

 _"You two will be with me"_ Anzu said, gesturing to Peko and Natsumi. The two of them looked at each other and nodded. They followed the woman into one of the back rooms. The woman closed the door behind them, leaving Hajime and Fuyuhiko with the old man.

 _"Right this way, gentlemen, and we will begin"_ He said, gesturing them towards the other back room. As Hajime stepped into it, he saw a cushioned table, and shelves of various inks. There were tools laid out on a table in the corner of the room. Hajime did not see any electric tools among them. All of Takeshi's implements were as old fashioned as it gets..

 _"So, which of you will be first?"_ he asked. Hajime looked over at Fuyuhiko who was visibly sweating. He was not a fan of needles, by any means. He had expressed this to Hajime before they got there. He was not looking forward to this. He glanced nervously over to Hajime, trying his best to mask his apprehension.

Hajime sighed and stepped forward. _"I'll go first."_ he said, with a bit of reluctance. As soon as he said that, the old man walked up to him and looked into his eyes intensely. Hajime was a little taken aback by that. He analyzed Hajime's posture. He roughly grabbed Hajime's chin and he moved his head around, reading his facial features.

 _"Very well. Take your shirt off and take a seat"_ He said, gruffly. He walked over to the shelf of inks and began to pick out a base and many different colors, laying them down on the small bedside table.

 _"What is your name?"_ He asked.. After slipping off his shirt, the young man rested his hands on his knees.

 _"Hajime Hinata"_ he answered

 _"Why did you join the Kuzuryu?"_

 _"Huh? Why do you ask?"_

 _"It's a strange thing, Mr Hinata. You have a peaceful aura. Its abnormal for men of the Yakuza to have such an aura. I don't mean to insult you. If you have been chosen to receive your ink, then you have already been deemed worthy, but it still makes me wonder what led you here."_

 _"I…"_ Hajime paused for a moment. _"To tell you the truth, I didn't seek out the Kuzuryu-gumi. This path just opened itself up to me. Its true that I never belonged on this path... but I took it anyway. Now, I have people who I care about. I want to make them proud and I want to protect them. So, I'm going to take this path wherever it leads."_

The old man nodded and closed his eyes.

 _"I see, Mr Hinata. I know exactly what your mark will be. Lay on the table, so we may begin."_

Hajime lay on his back, with his arms at his sides. He breathed in and out slowly and stared up at the light above them. The radio could be faintly heard in the background. The old man placed a handful of ink bottles on a small metal table beside the bed. He unrolled a cloth with various sized needles and tools. The needles were then attached to a primitive implement with an edge similar to an old style ink pen, and it followed a similar principle. The man also had a small mallet that was used to lightly tap and dig the needle into the skin.

Old man Takeshi took a small disinfecting pad and wiped it all over Hajime's upper pectoral and shoulder. He then dipped a needle in the ink and slowly placed it against Hajime's skin.

Hajime took a deep breath and then felt the sharp implement penetrate his skin The initial shock made him wince. It hurt, but not quite as badly as he expected. He had experienced far worse pain before. Being tattooed was an unpleasant experience, by anyone's admission, and it only got worse as time went by. He remained still and allowed the artisan to continue his agonizing work. The sound of monotonous clicking could be heard as the man tapped the needle applicator over and over, etching the ink into Hajime's skin. As the tattoo progressed, the pain became more and more fatiguing. It just went on and on. Time seemed to slow down.

Hajime was beginning to feel feverish and slightly nauseous. It was an effect of the toxins in the ink. Some of the inks had traces of snake venom, which produced more powerful colors, but also induced more pain. Hajime was beginning to feel delirious, as the man continued the ink work down his arm. He sat upright as the old man sprawled the elaborate drawings all the way down his right arm, to the mid forearm. The tattoos led all the way up to his upper-right shoulder and parts of his upper chest and back.

After a few grueling hours, the old man's work was finally complete. He set his tools down and wiped his hands off with a cloth. He let out an accomplished sigh. _"We're finished. You haven't passed out, have you?_ " he asked in his typical harsh and impatient voice.

 _"I'm fine"_ Hajime mumbled deliriously. His head was still spinning and he felt ill. However, there was an undeniable sense of relief to be free of the needle. He swung his legs to the side and slid off the table, onto his feet. He was wobbly at first, but he was able to find his balance.

 _"There's a mirror on the other side of the room."_ The old man gestured to Hajime. The young man walked over in a zombie like state, until he saw his reflection. It shook him back to reality. He saw what had been permanently etched onto his body.

An elegant blue dragon wrapped its way around his arm, all the way down to his wrist. It was set upon a stormy background, with golden clouds and raging seas. The dragon was emblazoned with a red,fiery mane, and yellow spines running down its body.

 _"The blue dragon… It symbolizes wisdom, protection, temperance and righteous fury. Bare it proudly, Mr. Hinata."_

Hajime slid on his tank top undershirt and grabbed his white collared overshirt off of the nearby rack. The tossed it over his shoulder as he made his way to the waiting room. He was intensely dizzy from endorphins and from the venom infused ink. He managed not to stumble as he lowered himself onto a couch. He lost track of time, in his agonizing haze. The chemicals from the ink had to work their way through his system. This was as much a part of the rite of passage as the tattooing itself. He had to push through it.

It wasn't long before the door to the girl's side opened up and Peko hobbled out. She was a resilient girl, perhaps one of the most strong willed people that Hajime had ever met. However, even she was taken off guard by the pain and dizziness from the tattoo process. She sat across from Hajime and slowly breathed in and out.

 _"Are you holding up ok?"_ Hajime asked her. The silver haired girl nodded.

 _"Yes… Thank you. I just feel a little ill. That's all."_

 _"It takes a while to wear off,"_ he explained, checking his watch. He then realized that only about 20 minutes had passed since his tattoo was finished. It felt like two hours.

He glanced over at Peko, who was also donning a tank top with nothing underneath. Like Hajime, she was airing out her tattoos. It was at this moment that Hajime was able to get a better look at them.

Her tattoos sprawled across both sides of her upper chest and down her left arm. Peko's ink covered even more space than Hajime's, which is probably why hers took longer. It had a black, wavy background and was adorned with chrysanthemum flowers and foo dogs. The flowers were indicative of royalty and the foo dogs symbolize loyalty and protection against evil. If anyone deserved such tattoos, it was Peko.

The two of them sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity, as they waited for the two siblings to finish receiving their tattoos. In the other room, Natsumi clutched a foam ball and bit her lip as the needle dug into her skin over and over again. Fuyuhiko had beads of sweat dripping down his face and he kept his eyes clenched shut as the work was done.

Fuyuhiko opened the door and stumbled into the waiting room. He still had his shirt off and Hajime was able to see all of his new tattoos. The design surprised him. It wasn't quite what he was expecting. Upon a background of stormy clouds and mountains, was a sprawling sakura tree with pink cherry blossoms. A green dragon snaked around the and Fuyuhiko's shoulder. Hajime was unaware of the fact that all men in Fuyuhiko's family bore the image of cherry blossoms. Fuyuhiko's father and his father before him also displayed the same vibrant tree. It represented the intensity and virility of life and its short, fleeting nature.

Fuyuhiko took a seat beside Peko, hunching over and resting his arms on his legs. His skin burned and he felt like he was drunk, due to both disorientation and nausea.

 _"That… That wasn't so bad. It didn't hurt that much at all. He shoulda done my whole body,"_ the boy unconvincingly boasted, with bluster. Hajime just smiled at this. The effects of the ink had mostly worked their way through Hajime's system at this point and he was feeling a lot better.

Just then, the door to the other room opened. Natsumi stood with a towel wrapped around her chest, tied behind her back. Her face was pale, her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes were droopy. She didn't look well. She was even more fatigued and dizzy than the others. She took a few steps and began to lose her balance. Hajime was there to catch her and keep her from falling over.

 _"I've got you, I've got you."_ he assured her, as he helped her over to the couch, sitting down next to her.

 _"I'mfinedontworry,"_ she muttered drowsily, slurring her words together. She put her hand to her face and groaned. _"Ugh… I feel like...balls"_ she murmured incoherently.

 _"It will wear off soon. Just give it a minute,"_ he assured her. The fatigued girl leaned her head limply on his shoulder, fading in and out of consciousness. Hajime was able to get a view of her tattoos. She had a full arm sleeve on her left arm. Her arm bore images of sparse red flowers and a pair of snakes. One red and one green snake entwined her arm, spiraling from her shoulder to her wrist.

The snake symbolizes good fortune, health, wisdom, but also wrath. They were elegant and somehow fitting. Hajime had no qualms as the young woman rested her head against him, snoozing away. She looked so much more innocent when she was sleeping. He always admired it.

Hajime glanced over and realized that Fuyuhiko had also passed out and he was laying his head on Peko's lap. Peko's face was crimson red and she was frozen stiff. Despite her embarrassment, Hajime was able to spot a sly little smirk creeping across the silver haired girl's lips.

Hajime shared a similar contented smirk as Natsumi rested against his shoulder, gently nuzzling him. Anzu walked into the room and observed them.

 _"Geez. Kids today are so soft. I got my whole body tattooed when I was their age,"_ she scolded. She then walked over to a small closet and retrieved two wool blankets. She draped one of them over Natsumi's body and the other over the shirtless Fuyuhiko. Hajime caught a glimpse of a motherly smile on the elderly woman's face, which she quickly masked with her usual scowl.

 _"I have been around a long time. I've seen members of the Kuzuryu family come and go, like embers in the wind,"_ she said, taking out a cigarette and lighting it with an old match. _"Those two are the last sparks of the Kuzuryu legacy. It is your duty to keep them from being extinguished. I hope you understand the seriousness of your duty and what you may be called upon to sacrifice"_

 _"We understand that fully,"_ Peko spoke softly, looking down at her young master, peacefully resting his head on her lap.

 _"We'll lay down our lives if we have to,"_ Hajime said, with a natural, unwavering resolve.

 _"You'll die? Sure, that's easy. But what about suffering for them?"_ the woman asked, ominously. _"It's impossible for you to truly understand suffering at your age. You need to have… lived a little. Whatever you've gone through already is nothing compared to what lies ahead. I can promise you that"_ the old woman warned, staring deeply into Hajime's eyes, with a prophetic intensity.

Hajime looked away, and down at his arm. Perhaps it was a mirage brought about by toxins and fever, but it seemed to him like the dragon on his arm was alive and breathing. Its orange and golden eyes almost seemed to glare up at him, gauging the resolve of its master.

 _"You're probably right about that, ma'am... but I'm not worried about it."_ Hajime said, as he looked over to Natsumi. _"I'm in love with this girl. So, I'm obviously just a sucker for punishment."_

The old woman's grizzled visage cracked with a wry smile. _"I wish you good luck, Mr Hinata. You are going to need it."_


End file.
